Mum reveals her cancer ordeal and warns others

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In a heart rending interview, a Newtownards cancer sufferer is urging women everywhere, to check their breasts today, reports Catherine Lynagh.

Janet Murray is going into hospital tomorrow (Friday) for a double mastectomy.

She hopes by telling her story that other women will be prompted to check their breasts for abnormalities.

Fighting back tears, Janet explained that just over a month ago she discovered a large lump in her right breast. She said it was very obvious and was about the size of peach stone on the right hand side of her breast.

For a month prior to discovering the lump, Janet had been suffering from a strong pain in the breast. After feeling the lump, she made an appointment at her GP surgery.

The mother of five said: "Doctors tell you there is no pain and that if you have pain, it is not cancer. The pain I had was like a constant burning pain. They tell you the pain is hormonal. They put it down to your period and will say that is why your breast is sore."

Janet continued: "The first doctor felt the lump and said it felt like a cyst and gave me a course of antibiotics. She never mentioned a second opinion. I took her opinion on face value. I told her I was in pain and she said, 'Oh well, it is definitely not cancer then'. She gave me a course of antibiotics and told me to come back in two weeks if it hadn't gone away.

"The pain was getting worse and the lump was getting bigger, so I went to A&E to see if they could take me. They said they couldn't, because I had to be referred by my doctor. Then I went to the Action Cancer Big Bus, where they check people's breasts. They also said they wouldn't see me, because I had to be referred by my doctor."

Two weeks went by and then Janet made another appointment. Another doctor gave her the same diagnosis, sending her home with more antibiotics.

A week after that, Janet made a third appointment and this doctor was concerned enough to request an emergency hospital appointment at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald. Two weeks after the request was made, Janet saw a consultant who specialises in breast cancer.

Read the full report in this week's Chronicle.