Seven Sisters Sky Challenge for Breast Cancer

On 15 August 2020 I will be running the Seven Sisters Sky Challenge - a 25km race through the Derryveagh Mountains in Donegal in aid of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute. I’m hoping to raise €10 for every kilometer I run.  All donations are very much appreciated!

Read below why this is a cause close to my heart

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1 in 9 women are affected by breast cancer and there are 3,000 cases diagnosed annually which is set to continue to increase.

Last year was a strange year for me - while I was preparing to sit the most important exams of my life and trying to plan a wedding, I found a lump in my breast, I went to the doctor to get it checked and he assured me that it was too small to be anything to be worried about but he would refer me to the breast clinic in St James’ Hospital “just in case”, He told me that due to my age (26) and the size of the lump (approx 2cm), I shouldn’t be worried and it was unlikely that I would even need an ultra sound never mind a biopsy unless “there was something to be worried about”.

After attending the breast clinic in St James’ Hospital, the doctor told me that, because of my age and the size of the lump, I shouldn’t be worried but that I should have an ultra sound “just in case” but I would only need an biopsy if “there was something to be worried about”. The doctor explained that the lump was likely just a build up of fluid which could be removed with a small needle but she highly doubted it would need to be removed at all. Of course I thought the worst!

A few weeks later I had the ultra sound and the lump was solid, not fluid filled as they suspected and I was scheduled for a biopsy “just in case” but was assured that I would only need to have the lump removed if “there was something to be worried about”. 

I attended for the biopsy a few weeks later and a second, smaller lump was found - not the news I wanted to hear but the doctor assured me that he didn’t think there was any reason to worry - of course, I panicked! 

The biopsy results came back and the cells in the lump were “abnormal” but I DID NOT HAVE CANCER - however, the lump would need to be removed before it turned into something “more sinister”. The doctor explained that while i did not have cancer yet, there was a strong possibility that, unless it was removed, the lump would develop into a cancerous tumor. 

The lump was removed on 16 August 2019 - almost 1 year ago to the day when I will run the Seven Sisters Sky Challenge. 

The key takeaway here is to get yourself checked if something doesn’t feel! Just because you are young / fit / healthy / or have never been sick in your life, does not make you immune. While it might be nothing, you never know and it’s much better to be safe than sorry!