I’ve been reading this forum since being told I likely have breast cancer on the 22nd Jan this year. My biopsy results have come back and confirmed I have IDC and I am currently waiting to find out my results of the MRI and CT scan that I had earlier this week. I was 34 when I first was told I likely have cancer and have since turned 35. I guess I’m not really sure what I’m looking for - this forum has helped me feel calm and reassured and other times I feel scared and overwhelmed. I think I’m looking to feel less alone and to find others similar to me? I’m finding everything difficult to process at the moment, not just my diagnosis but things like navigating other people’s reactions, having to wind work down, coming to terms with potential fertility implications etc etc (I don’t have kids) I’ve taken to long dog walks and working my way through all the mission impossible films (
) to cope but thought I’d reach out here too. It was such a shock to receive a breast cancer diagnosis - no history in my family that I know of and I just never thought I’d be navigating cancer in my thirties 
If any one relates or is going through/went through something similar I’d love to hear from you.
Aw @nat_26 that’s tough. I’m very similar in age to you, I found a lump last March when I was 35 and got the diagnosis in April. Since then I’ve had surgery and I’m just about to finish chemotherapy, then will have radiotherapy and hormone treatment.
I have two young daughters already so I didn’t have the extra burden of concern around fertility as I never wanted more than 2 children. I’m so sorry you’ve got that extra challenge to deal with
I hope your dog is offering comfort.
I found at the start there were often long gaps while waiting for the next thing to happen, and looking back I really appreciate having had those moments to be a bit more normal.
Are there any support groups near you? I’m on a local Facebook group for breast cancer although ironically haven’t managed to go to any of the in person meetings yet, nearly a year later! I am planning on going on in one of the Younger Women Together events as well, just haven’t decided which one yet as Manchester is my home city but that’s only a one day event whereas there’s one in Birmingham that’s two days.
Ask me why questions you like, as it does help to chat with someone in a similar situation xx
Thanks so much for your response, I appreciate it. How are you doing? Have you finished your chemo now?
I’ve got surgery due to take place this Tuesday, a wide local excision and full lymph node clearance. Feeling a bit nervous about it all but I’m just trying to focus on how relieved I will feel once I’ve woken up from it. How have you found your treatment so far?
I’m not sure if I will be having chemo or not but my surgeon has said it’s highly likely due to my age. Was this the case for you?
Thanks for the idea about local groups, I hadn’t thought of that. I’m based down south in West Sussex so I will def see if I can find something as that might be nice to do.
Sorry to hear about your diagnoses. I am 36 and was diagnosed recently. My tumour is huge so I’m having chemo first then will have a mastectomy plus axillary clearance probably (regional spread). Then radiotherapy and so on!
I have 2 very young kids and breastfeeding I think masked the tumour for a long time. Awaiting genetic results. My cancer is advanced and aggressive and I’m obviously petrified about the future…
@nat_26 the fertility elements must be so distressing and I am sorry you have this added burden. But whatever decision you make will be the right one.
sending love x
I’m so sorry you’re also going through this 
Do you know when you’ll be starting chemo? I had a lumpectomy and lymph clearance on Tuesday so am recovering from that now. It’s made it all feel very real which has been difficult to deal with but I’m just trying to navigate all the ups and downs as they come.
I too am awaiting genetic results and also waiting for the results of the surgery. All the waiting is draining for sure 
I’m no wiser re: the fertility stuff, it all depends on whether I need chemo or not but every time I see someone, the narrative changes about it. Looks like it’s likely I will have it but not fully sure why at the moment, just keep being told it’s cause I’m young.
This must be very tricky to deal with alongside having little ones to look after too so I hope you’ve got good support to help you not just practically but also emotionally.
Sending lots of love right back x
I started chemo this week. It has been better than expected so far actually (the meds they give are amazing to help with side effects)! But I have been prepared that it gets worse as time goes on. I think the almost guaranteed hair loss (even with cold capping) is going to be hard for me.
How is your recovery going? I hope the surgery went well. Do you feel better psychologically now the cancer is hopefully cut out? I bet waiting to hear results about margins etc is like a repeat of the early days and tests and scans. It’s big surgery so to have that behind you is a real step in the right direction. Keep going the surgery recovery will improve as the days go by. How long do you stay in hospital after?
Make sure you talk through the fertility stuff long and hard. It must entail such mixed emotions. Having young kids means I feel so lucky (they’re a blessing and keep me fighting) but also the stakes feel so high and the risks of treatment not working are unthinkable. Luckily I have a supportive partner and other family around which is something which I am so grateful for. Do you have enough support around you?
It is just totally blindsiding going through this so young. I feel so naive that it never crossed my mind I’d be in this situation! It’s very scary. However the good things are the wonderful community you meet (which you never wanted to get a membership card to) and the love you can feel from others I think.
Keep us posted with surgery results if you are happy to. I really hope it is good news and you can move down the pathway! Are you in the UK? Xx
@jululemon sorry for such a slow reply, I’ve been processing everything as it just seems like such a loooong treatment process with so many components to it and I find looking up things online can send me off spiralling.
Recovery from surgery has gone really well, it made a world of difference having the drain taken out, the relief was immediate! The scar looks pretty good and I’ve been militantly doing my arm exercises and I’ve got a lot of mobility back so I’m pleased about that. My results were as good as they could’ve been, clear margins (and they got a sneaky extra “satellite lesion” that hadn’t shown up in imaging out too) and 1 out of 9 lymph nodes was positive. I already knew at least one would be because of previous biopsy so very relieved that only 1 still. Next step is chemo for me and also exploring fertility preservation although finding it hard to understand the risks of embryo freezing and pumping myself full of hormones when I have oestrogen sensitive breast cancer…
I found the emotional aspect post surgery harder than the physical tbh. I was hoping to feel relief after surgery, and whilst I had some moments of pure joy (like the day I got my results) I have also had some real lows as even though it was a big milestone to achieve, I still feel in the early stages of treatment and it feels like there is a lot ahead of me.
How are you getting on with chemo? I hope its stayed better than expected for you. Glad you have a great support system. I can’t even begin to imagine the high stakes you describe feeling - whilst it’s a stressor that I don’t have kids and the fertility element is tricky to navigate, I’m acutely aware it must be so stressful and scary to navigate this all when you have kids you want to be able to be there for. How are you doing in general?
I am in the UK yes. Based in West Sussex but due to have chemo and radiotherapy in Hampshire. Where abouts are you based? Xx
Hi @nat_26
I often come onto the forum and look for people like me and I stumbled across your post.
I was 34 when diagnosed with IDC in my left breast. I had a lumpectomy in December 2025 ( clear margins, no lymph nodes) and radiotherapy in March this year now on hormone therapy. The main reason I wanted to reach out to you is that I am also in West Sussex and had my treatment in Hampshire.
I have two young children (3 yrs and 1 yrs old) and it was incredibly challenging dealing with the breast cancer diagnoses and fears for the future. I think all of us on this forum have those feelings. But you do learn to navigate it better over time.
I sometimes feel alone in that there aren’t many younger people in the same position so just looking for people to talk to really.
I hope that you are navigating your treatment and it is all going ok.?
H xx
Hey Hollie, thanks for dropping me a message. I finished chemo about 3 weeks ago and am about to start letrozole and radio therapy starts next week. It all feels a bit relentless 
How are you doing now? I can only imagine how difficult it must’ve been to navigate this with two little ones.
I often feel v lonely with going through this at the age of 35. I went to one of those look good feel better workshops and it 100% made me feel worse as even though people there were lovely, they were in a v different stage of life.
Actually, I’ll drop you a DM now as I’d be happy to chat more 
xx
Hi both,
Sorry for such a delayed reply. How is everything going? I’ve just finished radiotherapy (had chemo first then mastectomy and nodes out). Letrozole starting soon then targeted therapy drugs.
I know what you mean about the Look Good Feel Better workshops - I felt about 20 years younger than most people but the idea is still great and the leaders of the course were lovely. Have you thought about going to a Breast Cancer Now Younger Women Together event? I did and it was great - met a couple of lovely people who I’ve stayed in touch with and met up with.
Sending love xx