LOUISE Glazer was working out up to five times a week when she started experiencing pain on the left side of her body in January 2024.
“I was in the best shape of my life, lifting weights regularly and feeling strong,” the 42-year-old from Potters Bar, Heredfordshire, said.
Gym-goer Lousie was in the best shape of her life when she started having chest pain[/caption]
The mum was soon diagnosed with breast cancer[/caption]
The 42-year-old underwent a mastectomy in August 2024, having her left breast and 23 lymph nodes removed[/caption]
“When the pain started, I just assumed I’d overdone it at the gym.”
After months of discomfort, she saw a GP, who referred her for physiotherapy and two ECG scans – both of which came back clear.
Believing it was a strain from lifting heavy weights, the NHS worker carried on as normal.
“I was a very fit person and hardly drank alcohol. I would eat clean and was into my nutrition,” she said.
“So I thought it was just part of pushing my body to its limits,” she added.
Lousise even began cancelling fitness classes because everything felt “quite tight”.
“At first I thought it was a pulled muscle and not cancer at all,” she explained.
But in May, she felt a sudden, sharp pain in her chest while watching TV.
“I felt my nipple, and it was like something was there,” she said.
“I’d never had pain before and it felt like my milk duct. I got my partner to feel it and he thought one felt harder than the other,” she added.
Following a biopsy, Louise was given the devastating diagnosis of stage two breast cancer.
“It was like the whole world just froze,” she said. “I thought this couldn’t be happening.”
After coming back from their family holiday in June 2024, Louise underwent two MRI scans.
Another cancerous tumour was then found in her breast and she was then told the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
“I burst out crying as this was my biggest fear,” she said. “I was devastated all over again”.
The mum-of-three underwent a mastectomy in August 2024, having her left breast and 23 lymph nodes removed.
She has now nearly completed 16 rounds of gruelling chemotherapy and is looking forward to finally marrying her fiancé, Peter Chaney, after their wedding was cancelled last year due to her illness.
Reflecting on her journey, Louise admitted: “I thought my mastectomy would bother me because there are scars all over it and I don’t have a nipple.
“But it didn’t bother me as much as I thought. I was just thankful I was here and had cancer that was treatable.”
Her surgeon gave her the news she had longed to hear post-surgery.
“He stayed behind because he wanted to be the first person to tell me I no longer had breast cancer,” she said.
Louise with her three children and partner Peter[/caption]
The gym lover is urging others to listen to their bodies[/caption]
“I just broke down. Me and my fiancé hugged and cried. As a mum, it’s all I wanted to hear.”
Now, Louise is urging others to listen to their bodies.
“If symptoms stay consistent and don’t go away, don’t ignore them,” she said.
“If I hadn’t had that shooting pain, I would have just gone with the physio and thought it was a pulled muscle.
“I may have even paid for acupuncture and ignored it completely.”
Since her diagnosis, she has been documenting her cancer journey on social media to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms.
She will soon undergo reconstructive surgery to have an implant fitted where her left breast used to be.
“My biggest struggle is how I’ll live after my chemotherapy stops,” she admitted.
“Chemo is a love-hate relationship. I hate it, but it’s also like a safety blanket keeping the cancer away.
“I don’t know how I’ll go on without worrying every day that the cancer will come back.”
She has now nearly completed 16 rounds of gruelling chemotherapy to keep the disease at bay[/caption]
What if you spot any changes in your breast?
It is important to regularly check your breasts for any changes.
Breast tissue reaches all the way up to your collarbone and across to your armpit, so it’s vital to check these areas too.
If you feel or see any changes in your breast you should always consult your GP.
Charity CoppaFeel! recommends checking your breasts monthly, so you can pick up on any changes quickly.
Breasts do change naturally as part of your monthly menstrual cycle, so you should get to know your breasts, how they feel and what changes they usually go through to know if anything is out of the ordinary.
If you’re pregnant your breasts will go through a lot of changes, and probably will never look the same.
Be aware of any new changes, and keep checking them regularly.
During the menopause breasts may also change size and shape, but it is still important to see your doctor over any new changes.
If any changes or lumps need further treatment, your GP may recommend a mammogram or a biopsy.
Charity Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel! have more information and support for people who have been diagnosed, are living with or in remission from breast cancer.
The NHS website also has a page dedicated to breast cancer.
