When Sue Connolly went for her first mammogram she had no idea it would end up saving her life.
The mum-of-two from Stirling thought it would be straight forward as she hadn’t found any lumps ahead of the appointment in April last year.
In Scotland, women registered with a GP as female and aged 50 to 71 are automatically invited for NHS breast screening every three years – with their first invitation sent between ages 50 and 53.
Sue, who was 53 at the time, recalls: “I went to the appointment and within a week I got a letter saying I needed to go back because the image they had taken was unclear.
“When I saw that I just thought ‘oh it will be fine’.
“But as soon as I went in for my second screening, I saw the original image was marked.
“There was a big ‘X’ which I think was for them to have a closer look at that area.
“And when I saw that I knew something was wrong.
“At that second screening they thought it was cancer.”
After the diagnosis, Sue, now 54, went on to have surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
Now, nearly a year after that first breast screening appointment, Sue reveals how the experience has changed her outlook on life.
And why she feels breast cancer screening is so important.
When was Sue diagnosed with breast cancer?
Near the end of April 2024, Sue went for a second breast screening at The West Scotland Breast Screening Centre in Glasgow.
She had another mammogram and an ultrasound at the clinic.
“I couldn’t feel a lump, neither could the doctors or any of the consultants,” she explains.
“So they had to do an ultrasound where they used a magnet to locate where the tumour was.
“I had a biopsy taken and the doctor said to me ‘we think it is cancer’.
“This came as a shock because I just hadn’t been expecting it.”
What was the treatment plan?
Sue got a further appointment with a consultant at Forth Valley Royal Hospital on May 8.
“At this appointment it was confirmed it was breast cancer and the consultant told me I was going to have surgery,” she says.
“They were going to do a wide local incision and remove the tumour in my left breast.
“And the operation was to take place on June 8.”
Sue reveals that from the mammogram image the tumour appeared to measure 8mm.
But after the operation, she discovered it was actually bigger.
“They took out the tumour along with six lymph nodes,” she explains.
“Originally they were only going to remove two lymph nodes.
“But I think that when they had a closer look they must have thought more were at risk of being cancerous.
“The tumour ended up being 14mm – so nearly double in size what was shown on the mammogram.”
Deciding whether to have chemotherapy
After surgery, Sue had a further hospital appointment to find out what the next steps would be.
The consultant told her the surgery had been a success and that they had removed the tumour.
Her breast cancer was also downgraded from stage two to stage one after a closer examination of the mass.
However, as they had found cancer in one of her lymph nodes, Sue was offered chemotherapy.
“I was told I didn’t have to have chemotherapy – they left the decision up to me.
“But my doctors said the benefits of having it were small and chemotherapy comes with its own risks.
“So after weighing up the pros and cons I decided not to have chemotherapy and was put on the hormone therapy letrozole for seven years instead.
“I was told it does the same job as chemotherapy and can help prevent breast cancer returning by slowing or stopping the growth of breast cancer cells.”
Sue also had 15 sessions of radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre which she started in August and finished a month later.
After a follow-up meeting with a radiologist in October, Sue’s next appointment will be a mammogram in the summer – a year after her surgery.
Family support
Sue, who has two children Sean, 15 and Isla, 11, reveals the impact her cancer diagnosis had on them, especially her daughter.
“I remember thinking ‘oh my god how am I going to tell my kids?
“Sean was only 14 and Isla was 10 at the time.
“My son has autism and didn’t really understand what was happening.
“But my diagnosis really affected my daughter. She told one of my friends that she thought her mum was going to die.
“She is ok now though.”
Sue is also thankful for the support of her husband Andy, 52.
“He has been there for me through everything and he has been very positive,” she says.
“Having a cancer diagnosis makes you appreciate your family and friends more.
“I have two sisters and a brother who stay in Liverpool and I have another sister who lives in Holland so I am trying to make more time for them.
“Family is really what is important.”
The Stirling mum says her outlook on life has changed since being diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I don’t really sweat the small things anymore,” she says.
“And I appreciate the simple things like making a cup of tea.
“Sometimes you get stressed when making dinner for the kids but I think at least I still get to do it.
“When I was first diagnosed at first you think ‘am I going to die?’
“I never imagined then that I would be where I am now.”
Breast cancer awareness
Sue is passionate about raising awareness of breast cancer and supporting cancer charities.
She has previously climbed Ben Nevis for Marie Curie and has taken part in the Macmillan Mighty Hike.
And later this year she is participating in the MoonWalk Scotland in Edinburgh on September 6.
“I am doing the Half Moon walk (13.1 miles) and really looking forward to it. My daughter is going to decorate my bra for me.
“As well as fundraising it’s important to raise awareness of mammograms.”
She continues: “I would definitely encourage women to go for breast screening because my tumour couldn’t be felt by me or the doctors.
“It was the mammogram which picked it up.
“When I was waiting for my surgery there was a couple of women there with me and one of them told me she had missed her mammogram because she was too busy.
“It was the next one she had which found cancer. If you can find it early and treat it, it is 100 per cent survivable.”
She adds: “This is why going for a mammogram is so important – it could save your life.”
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