NI mum who lost sister to secondary breast cancer tells of the moment she got the same diagnosis

Mum-of-two Theresa Kelly, 54, is encouraging everyone to get behind a fundraising campaign for the charity Breast Cancer Now.

The retired civil servant has been named by the charity as one of its top 2022 events fundraisers in Northern Ireland, after she hosted an afternoon tea last August which raised over £1,500 for the charity.

Theresa was inspired to take part in afternoon tea last year as her sister Sarah had been diagnosed in March 2022 with secondary, incurable breast cancer.

Sadly, Sarah passed away last August and Theresa received her own secondary diagnosis this year.

Theresa’s sister, Sarah was diagnosed in June 2018 with breast cancer. She had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and ongoing treatment. A year later Sarah was told she had no evidence of cancer. Just two weeks later Theresa received her own breast cancer diagnosis.

Theresa said: “After Sarah was diagnosed I had started to check myself more regularly, and went to my GP after I found a lump in my breast.

"I was seen quickly and it wasn’t long before I underwent extensive treatment. It was a shock, because about five years before my diagnosis, I had found a lump in my other breast, and it turned out to be a cyst. I was fully expecting this to be the same.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK.

Around 1,500 women and 10 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in Northern Ireland every year. That’s around 29 people every week.

Theresa continued: “In December 2021 Sarah started to experience gastric-type symptoms which was red flagged to oncology because of her history with breast cancer. Tests revealed she had secondary, incurable, breast cancer.”

Secondary breast cancer occurs when breast cancer cells spread from the first (primary) cancer in the breast through the lymphatic or blood system to other parts of the body. Where it spreads and to how many sites varies with different types of breast cancer and in different people.

It is estimated that over 61,000 people are living with secondary breast cancer in the UK.

Secondary breast cancer can be treated, but it can’t be cured. Treatment aims to control the cancer, relieve any symptoms, and maintain health, wellbeing and a good quality of life for as long as possible.

Theresa continued: “Very few charities mention secondary breast cancer, but Breast Cancer Now did. Their online resources were really helpful to me and my family, when we needed to learn more about the disease.

"I’m an avid baker so when I was on the Breast Cancer Now website and saw the Afternoon Tea event- I know it was something I had to get involved in. I love feeding people with cake, so being able to raise money at the same time was just amazing.

"It’s also really important to me to raise awareness of primary and secondary breast cancer. I was absolutely delighted and a bit overwhelmed to find out I was one of the top fundraisers for Afternoon Tea in 2022 for Northern Ireland. Sarah died in August 2022 so for me it’s really important to raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Now’s world-class research and life-changing support, so that there will be a time when no-one will die from breast cancer.

"Recently I received confirmation that I have bone metastasis so I am now being treated for secondary breast cancer too. I have not been given a prognosis."

Breast Cancer Now’s Afternoon Tea is back for 2023, raising vital funds for world-class research and life-saving support.

Theresa said: "I am planning this year's afternoon tea already! I want it to be bigger and better than last year so need to practise some new recipes... I seem to have plenty of willing guinea pigs lined up though!”

Running for over 20 years, Breast Cancer Now’s afternoon tea is one of the charity’s biggest fundraising events.

Fundraisers are encouraged to take part in afternoon tea at any point in August.

Whether it’s a cuppa in the garden or a picnic in the park, Breast Cancer Now are calling on the public to hold an afternoon tea and help to raise the money they urgently need to drive forward their life-saving research and provide vital support.

Ellen Hindley, afternoon tea officer at Breast Cancer Now, said: “I want to say a huge thanks to Theresa, and the thousands of amazing people who will dust off their whisks, stick the kettle on, and hold an afternoon tea to raise money for Breast Cancer Now this year.

“Every 10 minutes, someone in the UK hears the words “you have breast cancer. But thanks to our incredible fundraisers like Theresa, we can make sure we are there for everyone diagnosed with breast cancer, every step of the way.

“By holding an afternoon tea this summer, you’ll be helping to raise the money we need to drive forward our life-saving research and provide vital support.

"It doesn’t have to be big, it doesn’t have to be fancy– because every single Afternoon Tea will help Breast Cancer Now to give support for today and hope for the future.

"To join in, sign up for your fundraising pack at breastcancernow.org/cuppa”