Nurse opts for 'whole shebang' of cancer treatment

After being a nurse for 24 years Susan Royse said she has opted "for the whole shebang" of treatment following her breast cancer diagnosis in April.

The 46-year-old from Harpole, Northamptonshire, said she found a lump on her left breast that "was tiny to begin with" at the beginning of the year.

The cardiology specialist nurse said she first thought the lump was down to hormone changes, but when it got bigger and more painful she visited her GP and was "referred instantly".

She said as a nurse and a woman she was aware that any new lump or bump "needs looking at straight away" and has urged others to follow her lead and to have any concerns checked by a doctor.

Royse said after being diagnosed with grade three invasive ductal carcinoma, a hormone receptor-positive and HER2-positive cancer - which is sometimes described as triple-positive breast cancer - it was "horrendous".

"As a nurse, I've always worked in acute or emergency care, so I've seen the worst of the worst, so your head starts catastrophising," she said.

Royse, who is married and has two teenage sons, had a lumpectomy and lymph node removal in June.

On Thursday she finished her chemotherapy treatment at Northampton General Hospital, adding: "The nurses were just brilliant, they took me through every step, explaining everything including all the possible outcomes.

"I felt like I was in very safe hands."

Although she did not reveal to her treatment team that she was a nurse, she said they eventually worked out her job was in healthcare "as I was asking certain questions and they thought I'd got a little bit of knowledge, although it's not my area of speciality".

"Usually the last thing you want to disclose is that you are a nurse.

"Everyone is treated as a person and is treated uniquely."

Royse is due to start radiotherapy in December, during which she will also receive HER2-targeted and hormone-blocking treatment.

She said it was a "very treatable cancer, being triple-positive treatment is available, I have gone for the whole shebang to throw at it".

She added her one regret was having to put on hold plans to study for a doctorate in nursing, specialising in atrial fibrillation and arrhythmia at the University of Northampton, which could take up to six years.

"I'd wanted to do it for years, but I have to concentrate on my treatment and getting well and back to work," she said.

Bethan Read, a clinical leader of chemotherapy and oncology at Northampton Hospital, said: "Cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally challenging, and our priority is always to ensure that patients feel safe, supported and cared for throughout their journey."

She said it was important "to attend screening appointments when invited, be aware of any changes in your body and seek medical advice if something doesn't feel right".

"Early diagnosis can make a significant difference, and support is available every step of the way," she added.

The NHS breast screening programme is offered every three years to women registered with a GP from the age of 50 to 71.

Royse said she also could not have gone through the process without the support from the hospital and the support group Breast Friends Northamptonshire.

"It was a great way of meeting other people at the same stage who had been through it and helped with any question I had," she added.

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