‘A hug from my son detected my breast cancer and may have saved my life’
A nurse has shared how a hug from her son could have saved her life after it led to her being diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer.
Ashley McLean, 37, first felt a sharp pain in her chest while sharing a cuddle with her three-year-old son, Noah.
The nurse later noticed that her breast was inflamed and the nipple inverted, which inspired her to book an appointment with her GP.
In June this year, following further investigations at the Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow, the mum-of-two was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer.
This type is considered quite rare with fewer than five out of 100 cases being diagnosed as inflammatory breast cancer.
Speaking about the warning signs that led to her diagnosis McLean says: "I had been feeling tired but I thought that was just because I was a busy mum and I sometimes worked night shifts at the hospital.
"But I remember one morning, in May this year, Noah was sitting on my knee. I was giving him a hug and trying to get him dressed for nursery.
"After I pulled on his t-shirt he tried to run away and accidentally elbowed me in the chest. It was really painful.
"I later noticed that my breast was red and inflamed and my nipple was inverted," McLean continues.
"I couldn’t feel a lump so I thought it might be just hormonal but when I told my mum she said that I should make a GP appointment.
"I know the earlier cancer is detected the better the outcome, but if it wasn’t for Noah I might not have taken action so quickly.
"I was lucky to get that hug from him.”
Symptoms of the breast cancer include swelling, redness of the breast, changes to the nipple and pain that can appear quite suddenly.
Thankfully further tests revealed that McLean's cancer has not spread.
In total she will undergo six sessions of chemotherapy, which are due to finish in October, then surgery and possible radiotherapy.
“There’s still a long road ahead," she says.
"A side effect of the chemotherapy treatment means I’m starting to lose my hair but I’ve had a wig fitted and I know that will only be short term. I’ve had great care from the NHS.”
As well as her own cancer journey, the family have faced further challenges with Noah currently living with a rare chronic lung condition known as bronchiolitis obliterans.
This had meant repeated stays in hospital and up until April this year Noah relied on oxygen therapy via a tube during the day and at night, which had only just started to improve.
"It’s been a tough few months," McLean, who is also mum to a five-year-old daughter, Ayla, explains.
“We’d finally been turning a corner with Noah’s health and he was doing well at nursery.
“Ayla was thriving and looking forward to starting school. It felt so unfair that just as things seemed to be settling down I was facing what doctors told me can be a fast growing and aggressive cancer.
"You just think, why me?”
McLean's story inspired organisers at Cancer Research UK to hold their Shine Night Walk in Glasgow on Saturday (August 31) which had more than 1,500 participants.
Unfortunately, due to her ongoing chemotherapy McLean was too unwell to attend the event herself, but 19 of her friends formed 'Ash’s Army', and raised more than £5,000 in her honour by completing the 10K.
In total £230,000 was raised for Cancer Research UK, with participants able to pick the cancer closest to their hearts for their donations.
Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Scotland, Lisa Adams, adds: “We’d like to thank people from across Scotland for making our life-saving advances possible.
“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in Shine Night Walk Glasgow.
"Eight in 10 people who receive cancer drugs on the NHS receive a drug developed by us, or with us.
"Our scientists have led the development of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, paved the way for targeted treatments and improved the way we use surgery to tackle the disease.
“Together, we are beating cancer. Fundraising has helped us to double cancer survival in the UK in the last 50 years. But we can’t stop there.
"Whether people walk for loved ones, future generations or with friends old and new, by taking part in Shine Night Walk, step by step, they’re bringing us closer to a world where everybody can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”
Entries are still open for the next Shine Night Walk in Edinburgh, which is on Saturday September 28.
Additional reporting SWNS.
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