After losing her mother to breast cancer just five days earlier, Sue Ware discovered that she had also been afflicted with the same dreadful disease. Planning her mother’s funeral, she never imagined facing such a reality. At 59, Sue received a diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer due to a redness she noticed on her right breast following her mother Betty’s death. Initially, she had associated this change with the emotional intensity and worries she experienced due to her mother’s illness. But the thought that the change in her breast could be linked to cancer had never crossed her mind.

“I wasn’t worried,” says Sue, adding, “I thought I had bumped into something while moving my mother at home. I showed it to my husband Linda, who acknowledged it was different. However, knowing I had only a few weeks left with my mother, I focused on that time and put aside my health concerns.” Yet, with the worsening of the changes and pain in her breast, Sue consulted her family doctor. Although the doctor likened this to mastitis, the association of Sue’s age with lactating women made it unlikely. Still, she was prescribed antibiotics and instructed to undergo a breast scan immediately.

“I had a mammogram two months ago and the results were clear, so I felt safe,” she says. However, shortly after her mother’s passing, a significant change in Sue’s breast was noticed. Shockingly, she was diagnosed with breast cancer as well. In September 2023, Sue was diagnosed with a rare aggressive inflammatory breast cancer. Such types of breast cancer comprise only five percent of all breast cancers and tend to spread faster. The diagnosis was a huge shock for Sue. “I was diagnosed too late, and the cancer had reached stage 3. I felt even more surreal due to my mother’s cancer,” she says.

Sue’s mother had kept her condition hidden by concealing the mass in the beginning. When the cancer metastasized, her mother underwent a hysterectomy. Recalling her mother’s challenging journey, Sue was determined to fight the same disease. The chemotherapy process was grueling. “I was in an intense treatment process. My hair fell out after one session, but I was prepared for that,” she says. “I’ve seen hair loss throughout my career and I know they grow back. If they could do it, I could too.”

The treatment was successful, with Sue’s breast mass decreasing from 26 mm to 10 mm according to tests conducted. In January 2024, it was determined that the cancer had spread to one of her eight lymph nodes. However, in April 2024, Sue faced the worst news: her cancer had become incurable. “They told me it was incurable, and I felt everything crumble after this entire process,” she says. “I would miss out on many things, but most of all, I wouldn’t be able to see my son grow and my grandchildren grow up.”

After learning this dreadful truth, Sue mourned with her family on an emotional weekend getaway. However, she eventually gained the determination to continue with her life. “I’m still alive, so I have to keep living,” she says. Sue’s experience highlights the importance of early detection. “I noticed my cancer too late, but knowing what to look out for and early diagnosis can save your life. Don’t wait when things start going wrong,” she says.

Sue aims to raise awareness about breast cancer among people and urges women to be vigilant about the early signs of the disease.