Local Albany breast cancer champion urges people to get abnormal lumps checked out as soon as possible

Amanda Rose has just finished her last round of chemotherapy after discovering a lump in her breast in February while she was having a shower. “I had no family history of breast cancer, so it was one of those cases that really came out of the blue for us,” she said. “It took me a while to sort of make that call to the GP, I put it off because I was a little bit scared. “I was glad I took action, because now I’m only in early-stage breast cancer, so there’s a lot more treatment options to me and a much better prognosis.” Cancer Council WA is urging people to be aware of the common symptoms of breast cancer and to not wait before having abnormalities checked out by a doctor. Great Southern regional education officer Bruce Beamish said the latest data from 2019 showed that 1899 WA women were diagnosed with breast cancer, with 259 women losing their lives to the disease. “In the Great Southern in 2019, 54 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 9 lost their lives to it,” he said. “If you’re unsure about a possible symptom you should make an appointment to discuss the change with your doctor, clinic nurse or Aboriginal health worker as soon as possible. “This is particularly important if it’s been more than four weeks since you first noticed the change. “Cancer treatments have improved in recent years, and it is much easier to successfully treat breast cancer if it is found early. “The more it spreads, the harder it is to treat, so we must find cancer early.” Common signs of breast cancer can include a lump or hard area around the breast area or underarm, a change in size or feel, redness or rash in the area, or any discomfort or pain. “Everyone’s breasts are different.” “It’s important that you get to know what your breasts look and feel like, so you know what is normal for you.” “There is no wrong way to check your breasts.” Women of all ages are encouraged to get a screening, regardless of the presence of symptoms. “It’s one those things you don’t have really any control whether you’re going to get cancer, but what you can control over is how early you can start treatment and get it checked out,” Ms Rose said. “I would encourage anyone to not feel embarrassed or that it’s a possibility it could be nothing. “It’s worth getting checked out and making that call, I put myself on a waitlist for the doctors and now I wish that I had just gone for the earliest appointment and prioritised it.”