Cancer: 'It's not something you expect to hear in your 20s' 

At a time when she felt her healthiest and happiest, Rachael-Ann McCarney noticed a lump in her breast. She told herself it was nothing but it turned out to be cancer 

Rachael-Ann McCarney says it’s essential to take swift action if you notice any changes in your breasts. Picture: Moya Nolan

When Rachael-Ann McCarney discovered a lump in her breast in August 2020, she never imagined it could be cancer.

“Initially, I thought it was nothing to worry about,” she says. 

“I was the fittest, healthiest and happiest I had ever been in my life. I was extremely active, I was eating really well.”

Rachael-Ann, 28, had started a personal training course and was lifting weights that were heavier than she was used to, so she assumed the lump was a muscle knot.

But as the weeks passed, it became evident that the lump was growing. The Cavan woman tried to get on with her life, teaching at a primary school in Dublin, enjoying nights out with friends.

Rachael-Ann McCarney was the 'fittest, healthiest and happiest' she had ever been before she found a lump on her breast. Picture: @rachaelannmccarney / Instagram

At the time, she told herself it was nothing, but looking back “fear started to take over”.

“Deep down, I did start to get afraid because there is cancer in my family. But I had my head in the clouds, I thought I was invincible.

“Quite frankly I just didn’t want to know. I remember thinking ‘ignorance is bliss’. 

"In reality, ignorance could have been a death sentence.”

But when October rolled around, Rachael-Ann started seeing posts about Breast Cancer Awareness month on social media and in the media. It was the push she needed to visit her GP in mid-October 2020.

“He performed a breast examination and he discovered two lumps. I had very small boobs so I thought I’d be able to see everything myself - that took me by surprise.”

Taking matters into her own hands

Due to a family history of cancer on both sides, her doctor referred her to a local hospital and she was informed she would be seen within six weeks.

“I was like a child at Christmas waiting on this letter. But three months later, it still hadn’t come. At that point, the lump was on fire in my chest. It was like it was trying to tell me something,” she says.

Looking in the mirror, Rachael-Ann could now clearly see a lump “sticking out of my chest”.

“I found a ruler in the house and measured it. When my GP had examined me in October, the larger lump measured one centimetre. It was now measuring seven centimetres.”

At that point, she knew she had to take matters into her own hands.

“I called my GP and said: ‘You need to get me seen [in a hospital]. I’ll go anywhere I don’t care where it is or how much it costs’.”

Despite having health insurance, Rachel-Ann wasn’t aware that she could be seen quicker by paying to go private.

“You don’t know these things when you’re young,” she says, adding that it’s something she wants to highlight for younger people who, like her, may not be aware.

It cost €180 to be seen privately. 

“That’s the cost of a shopping spree and it saved my life,” she says.

Rachael-Ann’s first point of call was the Beacon, where she was seen by an “amazing consultant” on a Friday evening. Unfortunately, her insurance wouldn’t cover her at the private hospital but she was fast-tracked to Beaumont hospital the following Monday.

“Two weeks later, I was called back for an ultrasound, and even though the nurse had a mask on, I knew by her eyes something was wrong.”

The ultrasound was followed by a biopsy and an MRI.

“I walked away from those appointments totally oblivious to what was to come. I knew the lumps would probably have to be removed but I didn’t think for a minute it would be cancer.”

I remember my life flashing before my eyes

In March, Rachael-Ann was called back to Beaumont where she received the news that she had triple-negative breast cancer on her own in the midst of the pandemic.

“It was like an out-of-body experience,” she said.

“I just remember my life flashing before my eyes. There was so much I still wanted to do. I remember thinking ‘but I am so young’. I just couldn’t believe this was happening.

“The first thing I asked was ‘how long do I have’.”

“I was told if I hadn’t had this seen to in the next few months I would have been looking at two years to live. 

"When you are told you could have been looking at two years to live, it’s not something you expect to hear in your 20s.”

Thankfully, further tests showed her cancer hadn’t spread and she was given a good prognosis.

“The day I found out it hadn’t spread, my life changed forever. I remember thinking I need to raise awareness, especially among young people.”

Her treatment included a double mastectomy, reconstruction and axillary clearance on the left side and fertility treatment.

Rachael-Ann says her vanity “took over” after the initial shock of her diagnosis, and she worried about losing her hair and her breasts.

“They recommended a single mastectomy of the left breast and genetic testing to determine the risks of keeping the right one, but once he mentioned reconstructive implants I said: ‘Take them both’. I wanted to give myself the best chance going forward and I didn’t want to worry about it again.”

Rachael-Ann McCarney is sharing her story to raise national awareness of the importance of early detection. Picture: @rachaelannmccarney / Instagram

On March 26, she woke up from a six-hour surgery, afraid to look down.

“I was very surprised,” she says. “I couldn’t believe the job the surgeon had done - he’s my hero!”

Rachael-Ann’s journey didn’t end there, she was also prescribed 16 rounds of ACT chemotherapy, which she has now almost completed.

“The first four really tested me. It brought out a strength in me I didn’t know I had.”

Her final step is radiotherapy to reduce the risk of her cancer reoccurring. “I am hoping by December I’ll be able to put it all behind me.”

Trusting my gut saved my life

A year since she first went to her GP, Rachel-Ann says she is sharing her story in the hopes that it will inspire women to get checked this October.

“It can be the difference between life and death and that’s something I didn’t fully understand until I went through it myself. 

"Knowing my body, trusting my gut, it really did save my life.”

Describing herself as a lover of life and a “bit of a buzzer” she says it has only made her more grateful for life.

“I am excited about the future. People look at me and feel sorry for me but, while it has been a crazy few months, it’s also been an amazing few months and I am very blessed.

“If I’d left it, it could’ve been terminal. I wake up every morning and feel so lucky to be alive today.

“People think cancer is a death sentence, but early detection is key and if it’s caught on time, there’s so much they can do now. Time is everything.”

• As part of Breast Cancer Awareness month this October, the Irish Cancer Society is asking you to ‘care for your pair’ by being breast aware, checking your breasts regularly and encouraging two friends to do the same. Always speak to your GP if you notice anything unusual.
• To learn more about the signs of breast cancer and how to check yourself, visit cancer.ie/careforyourpair. You can also contact the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on 1800 200 700.