North Yorkshire woman shares story of breast cancer

It's as a new campaign is launched called #getintouchwithyourslef

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 3rd Oct 2024
Last updated 4th Oct 2024

A York woman is sharing her story to raise awareness of breast cancer in young people and encourage everyone in North Yorkshire to check their chests.

Sam Ritchie was just 40 years old when she felt something wasn't right:

"It was probably about a year ago now that I noticed like a red rash just under my nipple on my breast. I'd left it for maybe about 3 weeks and didn't think it would be anything to worry about, and then I went to go get it checked at the GP."

"Then when I'd gone in to see the GP and they did a thorough assessment and then I was referred to the hospital to the breast, one stop clinic on a two week wait pathway. So that means that the ideal is that you're seeing within those two weeks I was actually seen the next day."

"I went into the hospital. They did all the tests there and then so you see the radiologist, they did the ultrasound scan, they do the mammogram. I actually have some biopsies taken there. And they actually found a lump behind my nipple and they told me at that point that I'd need treatment."

"Following on from that, I had four months of chemotherapy which started in January of this year and then I had a mastectomy at Leeds Hospital and that happened in June and now I am back to work.

"If anyone's unsure about anything, I know it can be super scary, but certainly from my experience the process is really quick. Everybody I dealt with was lovely. They were really helpful. Everybody shows empathy, I'm back at work now so it was a year since being diagnosed and I'm now back at work so all the treatments done and the operations done and I'm now cancer free as well, which is fab."

The Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance’s #getintouchwithyourself campaign runs throughout October and is aimed at women who are reluctant to attend breast screening appointments, particularly for the first time.

Meanwhile a super-size version of Snakes and Ladders is coming to Scarborough and York this October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, helping Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance to smash taboos and raise awareness of the importance of breast screening.

By taking part in the immersive experience and walking around the board as their own lifesize counter, people will learn about the barriers and facilitators to attending an NHS breast screening appointment via large playing cards.

It’s hoped the 3 metre x 3 metre board game, taking centre stage at the Cancer Alliance’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month engagement sessions, will start life-saving conversations and address the fears surrounding breast cancer. Find out where you can play the game.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Around 11,400 women die from breast cancer in the UK every year. It is the fourth biggest cancer killer in the UK, and the second biggest cause of cancer death in women. However, 46.3% of women invited for a mammogram for the first time do not attend a screening appointment.

The Cancer Alliance worked in partnership with researcher Emily Lunn from Hull York Medical School (HYMS) to create this innovative take on an old family favourite, which received funding from Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Emily said: “There are many challenges people face when thinking about attending breast screening. For some, it’s not as easy as just turning up for their mammogram because of various factors. The aim of this game is to start a conversation, while raising awareness of breast screening.

“This game is not just for women aged 50-70 who are invited for breast screening, it is for everyone. We want everyone to feel comfortable talking about breast screening openly. We also want to highlight there are ways to overcome some of the challenges, and for them to raise awareness of breast screening with the women in their own lives.”

Cancer Alliance volunteers will be on hand at the engagement sessions to discuss breast cancer, the symptoms and how to check your body for signs of the disease.

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