Hi
I was wondering if anyone saw TV Presenter, Julie Bradbury’s very personal and moving programme about her BC diagnosis and Treatment. If you missed it and would like to see it, you can view it on Catch up on the ITV Hub. It would be interesting to know what others ploughing their own route through BC thought about it. Or perhaps the very last thing you want to watch on TV right now is someone talking about their Breast Cancer ‘Journey’. Either way, it would perhaps make the basis of an interesting discuss we could all join in.
Silver6
@Silver6 Hi, I watched it on catch up last night. I have had breast cancer twice, my first diagnosis when I was 42 and my re-occurrence last year at the age of 50.
I thought it was an interesting programme, and I felt for her emotions particularly as she was so worried about her very young children. I think perhaps a more fuller reflection of the process may have been achieved if it had been a series of programmes.
However, I think that if the programme meant that some women went and checked their breasts and continue to do so, who were not already doing so, then that is a good outcome.
Thanks for your reply Nicola, my thoughts were much the same as yours. I felt a bit frustrated as I wanted to ask ‘Did you feel a lump? Was this picked up on a routine Mammogram?’ I also would have liked to know about her Treatment Plan, had she a choice on Lumpectomy or Mastectomy.
The hospital looked beautiful, serene and much calmer than a NHS hospital, did she mention if she went private?.
Silver6
HiSilver6
Initially I was reticent about watching the program but decided to give it a go. I was touched by her honestly and how she coped with telling her children and immediate family and anything that brings BC to the attention of the public can’t be a bad thing.
I was however disappointed that the program concluded following Julia’s surgery, perhaps addressing radiotherapy and drug therapies might have been a good idea, as for so many of us our stories don’t stop quite so soon.
Hello @Silver6 and others
I’m watching the documentary now but I have also been following Julia on twitter throughout her cancer journey. I also had widespread DCIS in my L breast and had to have a mastectomy in 2020. I chose immediate implant recon so my treatment was almost identical to hers. The main difference was that I had to wait 3 months for surgery due to Covid lockdown, all the while knowing that the cancer might go invasive (which it did but luckily they still got it all out in time). That did my head in so much that by the time I got my surgery I was completely gung ho about losing my breast and didn’t cry one bit. I almost danced on my way to the operating theatre! That is such a huge contrast to Julia’s terrible emotional distress.
I agree that Julia’s journey is her own and not the same as anyone else’s. The type of cancer she (and I) had didn’t require chemo or radiotherapy. In terms of the degree of suffering which we go through, I always felt that I got off extremely lightly.
I can’t say that the risk of recurrence bothers me too much - I survived one mastectomy and with yearly screening I can get another one if my other breast decides to turn bad. I am unable to have children so don’t have that added dimension to the pain. I think Julia did a brilliant job at figuring out how to tell her children.
I also think that I’ve done a lot of recovering in the last 18months after returning to work and getting fit again.
I have just published my book which I wrote about my cancer journey
amazon.co.uk/dp/B09XZJYK7N/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_9R7KKBN9WS7X7NHT2DVH
I agree that if the documentary gets women to be aware of lumps and get treatment then it can only be a good thing. I’m all for talking about these things!
hugs to you all
xxx