Judith Potts
Judith Potts was an actress and is now a voice, acting and presentation coach. She is married with two children, three stepchildren and recently became a grandmother. She lives in west London and Yorkshire. In 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She can be contacted at judith.potts@telegraph.co.uk.
Kris Hallenga is 25 years old and has metastatic breast cancer. Finally diagnosed when was 23, the cancer had already spread to her spine, where a dormant tumour still sits. I say “finally” because it took far too long for Kris’ GP to take seriously a breast lump – which, on Kris’ third visit, was bleeding through the nipple. Even then, the GP said “it could be nothing”. Of course it wasn’t “nothing” but the outcome could have been very different if the GP had listened and acted quickly. It wasn’t until Kris’s mother insisted on a referral for her daughter before the GP could be persuaded to agree.
Judith Potts
Judith Potts was an actress and is now a voice, acting and presentation coach. She is married with two children, three stepchildren and recently became a grandmother. She lives in west London and Yorkshire. In 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She can be contacted at judith.potts@telegraph.co.uk.
Kris Hallenga is 25 years old and has metastatic breast cancer. Finally diagnosed when was 23, the cancer had already spread to her spine, where a dormant tumour still sits. I say “finally” because it took far too long for Kris’ GP to take seriously a breast lump – which, on Kris’ third visit, was bleeding through the nipple. Even then, the GP said “it could be nothing”. Of course it wasn’t “nothing” but the outcome could have been very different if the GP had listened and acted quickly. It wasn’t until Kris’s mother insisted on a referral for her daughter before the GP could be persuaded to agree.
I wonder what that GP is thinking now – particularly as it took far too many more weeks for the surgeon to establish the lump was not a cyst, for a mammogram to reveal “white chalky areas” (which Kris immediately looked up on the internet and guessed her own diagnosis) and for the final result from the biopsy to confirm Kris’ worst fears.
It seems extraordinary that a GP could misdiagnose something which, obviously, was a serious condition. A bloody T-shirt and pain during sleepless nights should never have been dismissed as “it could be nothing”. You could almost understand that sort of reaction if the GP had instantly referred Kris to a cancer specialist – perhaps those words would have been uttered in an attempt to reassure her and stop her from worrying – but, in this case, the GP made no attempt to refer Kris and when the referral was eventually made, urgency was not considered and the referral was made with enormous reluctance.
When I met Kris at the offices of her charity – Coppafeel – we discussed why the GP did not refer Kris immediately. Was it due to budget constrictions? Had the practice filled its quota of referrals for that month? Kris feels that it may have more to do with the bonuses offered to GPs with textbook patients who “tick the boxes” – a young person with breast cancer does not do that for the GP. Whatever the reason, I suspect that – despite the educative work done with GPs by the breast cancer charities – there are still far too many who do not believe it is possible for a young person to develop breast cancer. Certainly, it is not as common in the under-30’s as it is in older women and perhaps not all GPs have experienced a patient with the disease – but do they not read the information which is sent to them? Surely it is better to be safe than sorry?
As soon as Kris had recovered from her treatment, she launched “Coppafeel”, which targets young women and men. The charity aims to raise awareness that breast cancer can develop in the under-30’s and it is not just an older person’s disease, to show them how to check their breasts or chest area and to give them the confidence to insist on a referral if a lump is found.
Working on university campuses, at music festivals and in schools, Coppafeel takes the message anywhere that young people can be found. The new campaign – details of which can be found on Coppafeel’s website – is called “Hello Boobs” (like the “Hello Boys” Wonderbra advertisement – the makers of which have given Coppafeel permission to use the picture) and is a text message reminder service. To enrol, you need to name your breasts and then, each month, Coppafeel will send you a text asking “How are Pinky and Perky” (Lorraine Kelly’s choice), or, perhaps for a younger generation, “Ant and Dec” or “Harry and Hermione”? If there is no reply, Coppafeel will send a follow-up text.
In the two years of campaigning, Kris has heard from three young women who – thanks to her valiant work – listened to the message, checked their “boobs”, found lumps and had the confidence to demand a referral. They were all diagnosed with breast cancer.
Kris and I talked about the ever-perplexing causes of breast cancer, particularly in young people. Kris has an identical twin sister (who also works for Coppafeel) who has not developed the disease and a genetic cause was ruled out. Kris has always eaten well, was not a smoker and drank only in moderation. So, what was it that caused her breast cancer? There is a growing school of thought which subscribes to a “breast cancer type” – someone whose body deals badly with emotional stress. I wonder – what do you think? Have you had breast cancer immediately after some emotional trauma – or perhaps it developed years later and you have always thought that might have been the cause? Email me atjudith.potts@telegraph.co.uk
Meanwhile, look at your circle of friends and family and point the young in the direction of Coppafeel’s website.
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