Woman diagnosed with breast cancer just THREE months after her older sister died from the disease

Carly Shepherd (pictured), 29, was just 27 when she was first diagnosed with cancer 

Carly Shepherd was just 27 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer – months after her big sister Jade, 40, lost her battle with the same disease.

Now, two years on, she’s fighting it all over again.

Carly, who carries the BRCA1 breast cancer gene mutation, admits she didn’t realise how serious this was at first – despite it leading to cancer in 55-72 per cent of carriers.

But after her sister’s death and two separate cancer battles, Carly, a medical receptionist from Forster, New South Wales, is well aware of the impact it has – not just on her but her family and future children. 

Jade, who also had the BRCA1 mutation, went to the doctor three months after finding a lump and fought the disease for two years while undergoing chemo and a mastectomy.

‘She was okay for a while after that but then it came back so she did more chemo and radiation. She had a bit of time in the hospital at the end with secondary cancers from the radiation and infections,’ Carly told FEMAIL.

Carly is one of three sisters in her family to carry the gene, she is currently going through chemotherapy after discovering a second unrelated cancer in her right breast

Carly is one of three sisters in her family to carry the gene, she is currently going through chemotherapy after discovering a second unrelated cancer in her right breast

Carly's beloved older sister, Jade, died from breast cancer at the age of 40

Jade's diagnosis prompted her sisters to be checked for the genetic mutation

Carly’s beloved older sister, Jade (pictured), died from breast cancer at the age of 40 

Carly’s sister Amanda, 32, also has the BRCA1 gene but her bi-yearly scans remain clear.

And while her other two sisters don’t carry the mutation doctors have insisted they get screened every year as the family history is ‘very strong’. 

Carly’s first diagnosis of triple negative ductal carcinoma in the left breast, came in October 2020, and was a brutal shock to the family who were still hurting after losing Jade in July of the same year.

The tumour was picked up in its early stages, thanks to an MRI scan which was organised upon confirmation of the BRCA1 gene.

‘My original diagnosis was different to Jade’s but I was still terrified at the thought that I could have the same one day and leave my family behind,’ she said.

Because of Carly’s age, doctors decided against radiation therapy and as the cancer hadn’t spread outside of her milk duct they were able to remove it entirely by doing a lumpectomy.

Doctors recommended a preventative double mastectomy to reduce the risk of cancer coming back but Carly wasn’t ready.

At the end of 2021 after a year of constant medical appointments the young woman met a breast surgeon who ‘almost changed her mind’. 

Carly has always wanted a family of her own and decided to freeze eggs in case her cancer-killing therapies also rendered her infertile. Pictured here (far ight) with he twin sister Megan, sister Amanda and mother Sandra (left to right)

Carly has always wanted a family of her own and decided to freeze eggs in case her cancer-killing therapies also rendered her infertile. Pictured here (far ight) with he twin sister Megan, sister Amanda and mother Sandra (left to right) 

How do I check for breast cancer? The simple routine that could save your life 

Take the time to ‘get to know’ how your breasts normally look and feel through normal regular activities (such as showering, getting dressed, using body lotion or looking in the mirror). 

You don’t need to use a special technique, but ensure you look at and feel your breasts regularly. Make sure this includes all parts of your breast, your armpit and up to your collarbone.

For women of all ages, it is recommended that you be breast aware. Breast awareness is being familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts, so that you can identify any unusual changes (such as a new lump, thickening in the breast, especially if it is only in one breast, changes to the shape or size of the breast or changes to the shape of the nipple).

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? 

A new lump is one of the most common signs of breast cancer. Lumps that are breast cancers can vary. For example, they may be painless or painful. Lumps can also be a sign of a benign (non-cancerous) breast condition. However, if you have found a new lump or breast change, it is important to see your doctor so that it can be checked by a health professional. 

It is important to remember that breast awareness does not replace having regular mammograms and other screening tests as recommended by your doctor. Some people diagnosed with breast cancer have signs or symptoms. However, some women have no signs/symptoms and the breast cancer is found during a screening mammogram.

Anyone can get breast cancer. Men and women. Young and old. Breast cancer does not discriminate. 

‘But life and work got in the way and my vanity also got the best of me,’ she said.

So she continued to have regular scans including whole body MRIs and breast ultrasounds to ensure nothing slipped under the radar.

‘A few months before my appointments I would get quite anxious and the thought about the possibility of something being there was exhausting. But at the same time, I was so thankful I knew what I knew so I could get on top of regular screening,’ she said.

Carly’s last scan was in April, and was all clear, she wasn’t due for another one until October but stumbled upon the cancer on her own. 

In August she felt a lump, this time it was in her right breast, but as it was a ‘hormonal time’ she thought it must be a cyst.

‘Even with my previous history, I tried to put it at the back of my mind but I kept touching it to check if it was still there. I didn’t want to worry my family and I was hoping it would go away,’ she said.

Jade, pictured right, felt a lump three months before she had any testing done. Jade, far right, with her daughter Chloe, left, son Gabriel and husband Kris

Jade, pictured right, felt a lump three months before she had any testing done. Jade, far right, with her daughter Chloe, left, son Gabriel and husband Kris

A week after discovering the new lump Carly hugged her sister and was shocked when she felt an intense surge of pain through her right breast.

This is when she decided the growth could be something sinister. 

And she was right, as doctors quickly diagnosed her with a triple negative grade 3 invasive breast carcinoma, an aggressive and fast growing disease.

‘I had been feeling quite unwell the last few months. I had been really tired and had no energy, had a loss of appetite and was just not feeling like myself,’ she said.

‘I have been dealing with depression and it had been quite stressful at work so I really can’t pinpoint if it was related although I’m a firm believer in our bodies telling us when something is going on, so I feel like it was my body trying to tell me something was going on.’

Doctors recommended Carly's sisters get regular testing, even the two who don't have the mutation. Carly is left with niece Gabriel, nephew Gabriel, sister Jade and twin sister Megan

Doctors recommended Carly’s sisters get regular testing, even the two who don’t have the mutation. Carly is left with niece Gabriel, nephew Gabriel, sister Jade and twin sister Megan

BRCA: THE BREAST CANCER GENE 

Having a mutated BRCA gene – as famously carried by Angelina Jolie – dramatically increases the chance a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.

Between one in 800 and one in 1,000 women carry a BRCA gene mutation, which increases the chances of breast and ovarian cancer.

Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that produce proteins to suppress tumours. When these are mutated, DNA damage can be caused and cells are more likely to become cancerous.

The mutations are usually inherited and increase the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer significantly.

When a child has a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes they have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutations.

About 1.3 per cent of women in the general population will develop ovarian cancer, this increase to 44 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation.

The cancer isn’t showing up in Carly’s lymph nodes and her staging scans are clear which luckily indicates it hasn’t spread from her breast.

But this time Carly and her medical team aren’t taking any chances.

She is currently undergoing eight cycles of chemotherapy in case the aggressive cancer cells have spread and are simply too small to detect. 

The need for chemo came as a blow to Carly who, supported by her family,  launched a GoFundMe to help pay for a round of IVF to ‘freeze some eggs’ in case the treatment rendered her sterile.

‘I’ve had a successful round of egg harvesting. We managed to freeze seven viable eggs. We now have the technology to test the eggs for the gene so this is something I will consider doing when the time comes to having children,’ she said.

Carly’s breast cancer journey started in 2015, way before her older sister was diagnosed, when she took up work at a breast cancer clinic.

Carly, pictured with sister Megan, wants people to check their breasts and know that anyone can get breast cancer

Carly, pictured with sister Megan, wants people to check their breasts and know that anyone can get breast cancer

‘I was face to face with patients going through this horrible diagnosis. I always felt so much heartbreak for patients and their families and it always hit close to home meeting patients around my age, but I never thought it would affect my family or myself in the same way.’

Her sister Amanda has to have routine checkups twice a year too, as she also carries the BRCA1 gene.

She also has two brothers and wants people to know breast cancer can affect people of any age and gender and encourages everyone to know their breasts. 

‘We all hope that something like this happen to us or anyone we love and a lot of the time it won’t, but it’s so important to get checked,’ she said. 

People who carry the BRCA1 gene are typically 65 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer and 40 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer? 

Different people have different symptoms of breast cancer. Some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all.

Some warning signs of breast cancer are:

New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)

Thickening or swelling of part of the breast

Irritation or dimpling of breast skin

Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast

Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area

Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood

Any change in the size or the shape of the breast

Pain in any area of the breast

Keep in mind that these symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer.

Source: CDC

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