During a regular self-check, Bethan noticed something that didn’t feel normal for her. We spoke to Bethan about why she decided to speak to her doctor and her advice to someone who might be in a similar situation.
Could you tell us a little bit about your scare?
I was 25 and had always checked myself regularly. My Great Nan suffered from breast cancer so I always try to spread the message as much as I can. I watched Kris’s documentary when it was first released and I have been following CoppaFeel! on social media for years! CoppaFeel! taught me the importance of checking and how to encourage others to be checking too, so I had always made sure to check.
During one of my regular checks I felt something that wasn’t normal. It was almost like a change to the way the boob felt – something different to usual. I have very small boobs and so when I check myself there isn’t as much surface area to check. Sometimes all I can feel is ribs, but this time something felt different.
What did you do when you noticed something wasn’t normal for you?
I booked an appointment with my doctor as soon as possible. The nurses checked and confirmed that there were lumps in my breast, and also some in the other breast that I hadn’t felt when I had checked myself. The doctor referred me really quickly and within a month I had an appointment at the breast clinic. They ran an ultrasound and confirmed that the changes were luckily nothing sinister.
Do you feel like this experience has taught you anything?
I think it has made me more aware of how important it is to check, and to take action when you notice anything that doesn’t feel normal for you. Whatever size you are, you should always check yourself and no matter how scared or embarrassed you might feel, getting it checked as soon as possible is really important. I always tell people it’s always best to get it checked straight away. It’s the doctor’s job to check these things out, so they see it all the time!
If you’d like to find out more about checking and what to do if you notice something unusual, visit the Self-Checkout by clicking below!
