By Claire Cartmill

Copyright newsletter

On what seemed like an ordinary summer’s day in June 2024, 33-year-old Cara Fenton from Lisburn was preparing for a rare night out with friends. She was at home, soaking in the bath after a long day caring for her one-year-old daughter Sienna, when life as she knew it changed. “I was washing under my left arm and felt something – a lump. It felt like a little bouncy ball, moving slightly when I touched it,” she recalls. “I wasn’t too worried at first. I thought it might just be a blocked milk duct from breastfeeding. After all, that was the side my daughter preferred to feed on.” Still, Cara decided to call her GP. She was referred to the Ulster Hospital for an ultrasound and biopsy. Even then, reassurance came quickly. “When I attended my appointment for an ultrasound and biopsy five weeks later, the consultant was confident the lump was benign, and it was nothing to worry about. I would receive a letter in 7-10 days, and life just continued as normal,” she continued. Just a month after discovering the lump, Cara found out she was pregnant with her second child. She and her partner were overjoyed: “We always wanted a small age gap between the kids. We were absolutely delighted and everything felt perfect.” But when her biopsy results didn’t arrive on time, Cara followed up. “I still wasn’t worried,” she explained. “But I decided to chase them up for peace of mind. I called the hospital, and after a few hours they told me I needed to come back to the hospital in two days. I started to panic. Why did they want to see me if it was nothing? “I was in the waiting room with my mum, and when I was called by a cancer nurse, I knew something was wrong. The consultant came in and sat beside me, holding my hand. When I heard the words ‘breast cancer’ all I could think of was my daughter and unborn baby. I was shattered. I am a healthy woman in my early thirties, why is this happening to me?” Cara was diagnosed with grade 3 triple negative breast cancer, one of the more aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms. The news was devastating – not just for her, but for her unborn baby. “I told the consultant I was pregnant, and I was referred for an early scan,” she remembered. “I thought that it wasn’t possible to receive any more devastating news, but on the 19th of August, despite no signs of miscarriage, we learned we had lost the baby. “Hearing those words ‘no heartbeat’ was so painful. I was already trying to deal with a cancer diagnosis and now I was navigating the loss of my baby. I tried to focus on what I could control and remember how lucky I was to have my daughter, Sienna.” Through the pain and grief, Cara focused on what she could control. Three weeks after her diagnosis, she underwent surgery to remove the lump, and began preparing for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But one thing weighed heavily on her mind – her fertility. “I was only 33 and I wanted to make sure I had options to expand my family when the time is right, I didn’t want cancer to take that from me,” Cara revealed. Before treatment began, Cara and her family managed to take a long-planned holiday in October: “We had it booked already before my cancer diagnosis, and it was right when I was supposed to begin chemo. I didn’t want to miss any core memories with my daughter and my little family, luckily, but we were able to go, and it turned out to be the break I needed before everything that was to come.” Cara’s first round of chemotherapy began on October 30th. Physically, the toll was immediate and unrelenting – the hair loss, the fatigue, the changes to her body. “I think there is a perception that you will look thin and frail when you’re going through treatment,” she shared. “But along with the hair loss, losing my eyebrows and eyelashes – which I already found really tough – I had gained 2 stone. That was incredibly difficult to deal with, especially after putting in so much effort to lose the baby weight after Sienna. It was like losing my identity all over again.” After months of intense treatment, Cara completed her final session in March 2025. But the end of treatment wasn’t the relief she expected. “Ringing the bell on the cancer ward to mark the end of my treatment wasn’t how I expected it to feel,” Cara admitted. “You see all of these amazing videos on Instagram and Tik Tok, but I didn’t feel that sense of relief. If anything, when your treatment stops, that’s when the worrying really starts. “Your sense of security goes when you no longer have to attend appointments, or have your next radiotherapy or chemo session, as strange as that seems. You are paranoid about the cancer returning, and that’s when I realised, I really needed support.” That’s when Cara reached out to Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, after a friend introduced her to the charity and was soon connected with one of their Group Work Coordinators, Caroline. “It was comforting to know the support was there when I was ready,” she acknowledged. “I finished treatment in March 2025, and by April I was able to attend their breast cancer retreat and get some much needed support from a trained counsellor, and group support from other women who were also trying to make sense of their own breast cancer diagnosis. “I have the most amazing family, but being able to talk about all my fears, worries and concerns with someone outside of my family and friends was a game changer. It was such a relief to be surrounded by women who just ‘got it’. “We all had different experiences. Different types of breast cancer, different treatments and different recoveries, but we were all bonded by the experience and leaned on each other to get through it. I was able to get perspective on how their journeys unfolded, and some positive advice from women further along in their recovery that life really does get better. “There were laughs and tears, and I know I have found lifelong friends. The fear of reoccurrence is always on your mind, but knowing that I have a group of women who know exactly what I am going through are only a message or call away, or I can get in touch with Cancer Focus NI to ease my worries, or give me advice, is invaluable. I don’t know what I would have done without Cancer Focus NI.” Now, six months post-treatment, Cara, who worked in retail, is focusing on her recovery and rediscovering joy in everyday life. “I’m eating better, moving my body and avoiding stress,” she smiled. “My breast cancer diagnosis really opened my eyes; everything can change in an instant. Life is precious. I am still so young, and I want to travel to new places, or run that 10K, I even have a marathon on my bucket list. I still can’t wait to expand my family and have a little sister or brother for Sienna, but for now it’s appreciating everything I already have.” She also wants other women to know they’re not alone and is this year’s face of Northern Ireland’s Breast Cancer Awareness campaign: “Every week another 30 women are told they have breast cancer here. Until you hear the words ‘you have cancer’ you don’t fully understand the kind of support you’ll need and how traumatic the experience is. Every breast cancer journey is different, and every woman will need access to different services.” Offering some final words Cara added: “I feel lucky to know I can pick up the phone and call Cancer Focus NI to support me with whatever I am needing in that moment. Whether that’s counselling or exploring my feelings with other survivors. I know I am not alone.” Cara’s story is a reminder that cancer doesn’t discriminate by age or circumstance. But with the right support, there is life – and even joy – after diagnosis. Why Going Pink matters This October, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland is urging people to Go Pink to support the 1 in 8 women who will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. The charity offers vital services – from counselling and support groups to bra and swimwear fittings, and family services for children and loved ones affected by a cancer diagnosis. Even a small donation can make a big difference. Just £50 could fund a one-hour consultation with a bra and swimwear specialist, helping a woman regain confidence after surgery. How You Can Help To host your own Go Pink Fundraiser this October, visit cancerfocusni.org or email fundraising@cancerfocusni.org. 028 9066 3281