Fanny's story
Fanny’s story highlights the importance of prioritising breast screening, even when life gets busy. Despite her recovery from back surgery and other commitments, she made time for her mammogram and discovered her breast cancer early. Her experience shows that timely screening is crucial for early detection and can make all the difference.
I was born in Hong Kong and I am 63 years old. I am married and have two adult children. I love spending time with my family, especially with my 6-year-old grandson when he comes over to play. I enjoy cooking, traveling, and walking on the beach or in parks.
I started getting regular mammograms with BreastScreen NSW in July 2015 and every two years, they would send me a reminder to book my appointment. I usually did, but in August 2023, things were different. I had a serious herniated disc that needed immediate surgery, so I didn't make my breast screening appointment. After the surgery, I received an email from BreastScreen NSW reminding me to book, but I hadn't fully recovered yet. I wanted to focus on my recovery first, and my daughter's upcoming wedding in February. My family had also planned a trip to the UK for May, so I postponed my breast screen until July after my return, which meant it was delayed for seven months.
In September, a kind lady from BreastScreen NSW called to remind me that I was overdue for my breast screen. I explained about my recent surgery, and she was so warm and encouraging that I went ahead and booked an appointment for October at the clinic in the city.
A few days after my mammogram, I was contacted again because the results were unclear, and I was scheduled for a follow-up assessment appointment which they explained would be another mammogram and possibly an ultrasound or biopsy. On October 20th, I received the diagnosis: breast cancer, with a 7mm tumour. Thankfully, my doctor arranged for surgery very quickly, followed by radiation therapy, and now I’m on hormonal medication. I consider myself lucky that the breast cancer was caught early, and I’m back to my normal life.
Looking back, I am so thankful to BreastScreen NSW and the lady who encouraged me to book the appointment. If it weren't for their persistence, my outcome might have been very different. Getting a breast screen every two years is so important for early detection, as some cancers are too small to be felt. I was fortunate to discover my breast cancer early and receive timely treatment. I strongly encourage everyone, do not hesitate, book your breast screen now and take care of your health. I wish everyone good health and all the best.
我出生於香港，今年63歲，已婚，有兩個成年的孩子。我喜歡與家人共度時光，尤其是當我的6歲孫子來玩時。我喜歡烹飪、旅行和在海灘或公園散步。
我從2015年7月開始定期進行乳房X光檢查，每兩年，BreastScreen NSW 都會發送提醒，告知我該預約檢查了。我通常都會照做，但2023年8月情況有所不同。我患有嚴重的椎間盤突出，急需手術，所以我未能按時進行乳房篩檢手術。手術後，我收到了來自BreastScreen NSW 的提醒郵件，通知我預約檢查，但那時我的身體還未完全康復。我希望先專注於恢復，還有我女兒即將於2月份舉行的婚禮。再加上我們家計劃在5月份去英國旅行，所以我推遲到了7月才進行乳房篩檢，這也意味著我的檢查推遲了七個月。
到了9月，BreastScreen NSW 的一位女士打電話給我，提醒我已逾期未進行乳房篩檢。我解釋了我最近做過手術的情況，這位女士非常親切且鼓勵我，因此我在市區的診所預約了10月份的檢查。
檢查了幾天後，我接到了電話，因為我的檢查結果不太清楚，他們安排了後續的評估檢查，並解釋說可能需要再做一次乳房X光檢查，甚至可能會做超聲波檢查或活檢。10月20日，我得到了診斷結果：乳癌，腫瘤大小為7毫米。所幸的是，我的醫生很快安排了手術，接著進行了放射治療，現在我正在服用荷爾蒙藥物。我認為自己很幸運，能夠及早發現乳癌，現在我已經回到了正常生活中。
回顧過去，我非常感謝BreastScreen NSW 以及那位鼓勵我預約檢查的女士。如果沒有她們的堅持，我的結果可能會大不相同。每兩年進行一次乳房篩檢對於早期發現至關重要，因為有些癌症腫瘤太小，無法通過觸診發現。我很幸運能夠早期發現乳癌並及時接受治療。我強烈建議大家不要猶豫，現在就預約你的乳房篩檢，照顧好自己的健康。我祝大家身體健康，一切順利。
