A Dundee Asda worker who campaigned for women to check for lumps has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
A familiar face to shoppers in Kirkton, for the past seven years Sam Will has been the store’s community champion, raising awareness and funds for the supermarket’s breast cancer charity partners.
As part of Asda’s annual Tickled Pink campaign, Sam would regularly remind customers about the importance of regularly checking their breasts for signs of abnormality.
And thanks to practising what she preached, Sam may very well have saved her own life.
Sam won’t be quite at the heart of the store’s breast cancer awareness campaign this year, as she’s currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer herself.
Sam had established a regular routine of checking herself, and it was while doing her checks that she noticed her skin was dimpling.
The 46-year-old said: “I was in a good routine of doing my checks every month and put reminders on Facebook for all my friends to check.
“Then one day I was in the shower and felt something that didn’t feel right.
“It was right underneath, so was a difficult place to find but when I looked in the mirror and lifted my arms my skin was like orange peel.
“Dimpling is one of the signs to look out for, as it’s caused by the tumour pulling in your skin.”
Sam was seen by her GP and referred to a breast clinic for a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy.
She was diagnosed with grade two invasive ductal carcinoma and was scheduled to have a lumpectomy to remove the tumour and one lymph node.
When Sam went for the operation, doctors discovered the tumour had grown and found a smaller tumour hiding behind it, then when they saw the lymph nodes, they decided to take three out as they looked a bit different.
When the pathology of the tumour came back it was upgraded to grade three. Sam’s since been having chemotherapy – and has six more sessions to go.
She said: “What my experience shows is that the messages are right.
“I can’t stress how important it is to check.
“I understand why some people are scared and don’t want to know, but getting into the habit of doing these checks will stop that fear and make it all much more normal.”
Dundee Asda workers urges ‘good habits’ after cancer diagnosis
Sam, who’s married to Stephen and has three children – Dylan, 22, Emma, who’s 18 and also works at the store, and 16-year-old Evie – says she’s determined to use her experience to get everyone into good habits.
She said: “I have been very open about it with all my friends and family about checking because I want them to understand that you need to know your own body.
“It’s only by being familiar with how things normally look and feel that you can notice if there’s something different.
“If there is anything different, please get it checked out.”
‘Role reversal’ for community champion Sam Will
Before her own diagnosis, Sam struck up a friendship with former nurse Pam Woodfield, who she got to know during her previous Tickled Pink events.
Pam has made an excellent recovery after her own breast cancer diagnosis two years ago.
And after Sam used to take her to her treatment Pam’s returned the favour by supporting Sam.
“Pam drove me to the clinic and took me in to the appointment,’” said Sam.
“She was such a calming influence, telling me what would happen.
“It’s a real role-reversal, because I was doing that for Pam last year.”
Asda’s Tickled Pink campaign raises awareness and funds for charity partners Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel.
