Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer in women, with 33,000 new cases emerging in the UK every year. In some cases a mastectomy is the only option and the trauma that the operation can cause has been explored in EastEnders with landlady Peggy Mitchell's fight against the disease. Heather Bishop spoke to a Bradford woman who has had a ten-year battle with breast cancer and went through a double mastectomy last year

KAREN ILLINGWORTH admits it has been a harrowing 12 months after being faced with breast cancer for a third time, going through a double mastectomy, and having her ovaries removed as well as a hysterectomy.

For the past ten years she has fought against breast cancer after first finding a lump at the age of 28.

The cancer has destroyed the hope of her and her husband Colin ever having children, which she said has been one of the hardest things to cope with.

But despite everything, her will to live is stronger than ever and her faith has given her the strength and determination to fight back against the disease.

Karen is secretary of the Bradford support group Bosom Friends and is confident about her body, recently modelling in a fashion show.

"Each time I discovered I had cancer, I went through the treatment, picked myself up and got on with it again," she said.

"The last 12 months have been horrendous because it has just been one thing after another.

"I was first diagnosed with cancer after I found a lump in 1990. It didn't panic at first, it was only when they sent me to the hospital that the alarm bells started ringing.

"The worst time was waiting for the results and my first reaction was that I was going to die.

"But it was a small, slow-growing lump. I had the surgery and some mild chemotherapy treatment and just got on with it.

"It didn't take my life over but it was always at the back of my mind. I went back to work and for five years carried on as normal."

Karen found the second lump in the same breast in 1995 - the week after her mother died.

"As soon as I felt it, I just knew it was cancer," she said.

"It was difficult because I'd just lost my mum but I thought if I'd done it once, I could do it again.

"Luckily it was a primary tumour similar to the last one, so I had it removed and had radiotherapy treatment.

"Both times I was offered the option of a mastectomy but it wouldn't have had any effect on my odds and the chances were the cancer might not come back. I didn't feel ready for it.

"The main blow at this time was realising that I'd never be able to have a family.

"The doctors advised me not to get pregnant in case the cancer came back and I couldn't be treated.

"I had only been married a few years and even though it wasn't on the agenda at the time, it was still a real blow.

"My husband and I had to concentrate on the fact that I was still here and alive and had to think that he could be left bringing up our baby on his own.

"Eventually I came to realise that having children isn't the be all and end all, although it was very hard at the time."

The third blow was when Karen returned from holiday two years ago to find a note from the hospital asking her to go in for an appointment.

"I had just been for a check-up so I knew that something was wrong," she said.

"They'd done every test under the sun but nothing had shown up on the scans. It was a blood test that showed my tumour marker had suddenly shot up.

"I knew there was something wrong but didn't know where - I felt like a ticking time bomb.

"Three days later a tumour appeared on my other breast."

Karen was faced with a more aggressive tumour and was advised to have a mastectomy.

"I knew the operation was essential and I had no qualms about it because I wanted to live," she said.

"That's why I opted for a double mastectomy. I felt that enough was enough and it was literally my only hope of survival.

"I couldn't believe how well I coped with it. I asked to be put in a side ward at the hospital because I thought I would be devastated and wake up in floods of tears.

"It was more relief than anything and my main concern was living.

"I couldn't keep expecting to get a second bite of the cherry so drastic measures were necessary."

Karen went through three months of intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy and was also advised to have her ovaries removed and a hysterectomy to stop the chance of secondary cancers.

After the operation her ovaries were examined as part of routine procedure and doctors discovered cancerous cells.

"I was doing everything possible to increase my chances of survival." she said.

"I gave up my job as a civil servant after 22 years but I needed to for the sake of my health.

"I realised I'd got to get on and live my life and couldn't just sit there waiting to die.

"It's the unknown. I could die tomorrow or in years.

"I get a lot of strength from my faith as well as fantastic support from my husband, friends and family.

"I'm a strong person and there has been nothing else I can do but get on with things.

"Having cancer does make you stop and think about your life and I've come face to face with my own mortality.

"I've had to accept that I might die sooner than I thought because of cancer, so I take each day as it comes."

To find out more about Bosom Friends telephone the Cancer Support Centre on 776688.

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