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Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
A young mother said doctors dismissed her tiredness as a common issue before she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.
At 28, Kate Crawford was a new mum looking after three young children when she suffered symptoms of a busy life.
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The Pittsburgh resident went to the doctors with a number of symptoms, including tiredness and stomach issues, and they wrongly put it down to sciatica, nerve pain radiating from the lower back down the leg. A herniated disc or spinal compression often causes it, Mayo Clinic explains.
"I just thought I was tired because I was a new mum. But it wasn't just exhaustion - I was feeling excessively tired all the time, I had constant belly issues, a nagging cough that wouldn't go away, and pain in my bones that never seemed to improve," Kate, now 41, admitted.
"There were changes in my breasts that I didn't recognise as warning signs, bruises that didn't go away, and skin issues that I brushed off. I honestly thought I was just rundown."
By the time she was diagnosed with breast cancer, the disease had been spreading through her body for two to three years.
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As a result, Kate has undergone 200 plus treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapies and a double mastectomy, a surgical procedure to remove both breasts.
The harsh treatment has caused her to have allergic reactions, heart failure and early-stage lung disease.
According to the NHS, early signs of breast cancer include a lump or swelling in the breast, chest, or armpit; changes in breast skin such as dimpling or redness; alterations in breast size or shape; nipple discharge (which may contain blood); nipple inversion or rash; and persistent pain in the breast or armpit.
READ MORE:
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WOMAN CONVINCED INCURABLE CANCER DIAGNOSIS WAS CAUSED BY COMMON LIFESTYLE HABIT
WOMAN LEFT WITH 'THREE MONTHS' TO LIVE AFTER HAVING CANCER SYMPTOM DISMISSED BY GP
“If I had been more educated in the signs, I might have been able to better advocate for myself. It may be too late for me, but it’s not for you. If something doesn’t feel right, please don’t ignore it,” she said.
Her husband Steve has been by her side along with their children, twins Grace and Lily, now 16, and Stephen, 15.
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“A stage 4 diagnosis means treatment for life and side effects for life,” she said. “When one thing pops up, you just have to deal with it. Take it one step at a time. That time lets me relax and unwind. It reminds me to look for the glimmers.”
Kate has shared her story on TikTok with humour and brutal honesty about the challenges she faces.
“I’ve never tried to sugarcoat my life, but people forget the daily struggles,” she added. “We hide a lot, not for ourselves but to make others feel better.”
“It’s ok to feel not ok. You don’t always have to be the brave, stoic cancer patient,” she continues. “You can be mad, bitter, sad and still be full of love. That is perfectly ok.
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“Getting diagnosed with cancer is like jumping into a big metaphorical lake full of other cancer patients. We’re all in there together, but we can’t help each other. We carefully tread water, but we get tired. Sometimes we barely hang on.
“People cheer from the shore. Some get rescued. Others stay. Some never make it out.”
The social media manager also works as a family support specialist at One Day to Remember, a charity that focuses on helping 'families forget about cancer and focus on quality time together'.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.