A fit and healthy young mother with a lump in her breast was told by a doctor that she was ‘too young to have cancer’.
Danna Diaz, now 38, was breastfeeding her second child in February 2020 when she noticed a small lump in her left breast.
The NSW communications specialist was initially told they were breast lumps, a common symptom of breastfeeding, so she put other niggling symptoms she was also experiencing to the back of her mind.
But in June 2021, her husband Jon noticed the same lump, which was now larger than before.
The mother-of-two, who practiced yoga daily and went to the gym five times a week, went to the doctor the next day and was referred for an ultrasound and biopsy.
Danna Diaz (pictured with family), now 38, was breastfeeding her second child in February 2020 when she noticed a small lump in her left breast
Ms Diaz was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and is now writing a children’s book to help demystify the disease
“Although the lump was clearly visible on the ultrasound, a specialist refused to give me a biopsy, saying my ‘risk was low’ and that I was ‘too young to get breast cancer’,” Ms Diaz said. 7Life.
Feeling anxious, she sought the advice of a friend who was a breast cancer survivor in her late 20s, who recommended she visit the Sydney Breast Clinic, where she would undergo a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy.
She was soon diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.
“I felt paralyzed and in shock,” Ms. Diaz told the publication.
‘What followed was a feeling of despair – I felt dizzy, as if my world was falling apart and I had no control over my life.
‘My thoughts immediately went to the worst-case scenario. I kept thinking about my children, how young they were and how heartbroken they would be if I died.
‘I have always been into health and wellbeing and considered myself fit and healthy before cancer.’
Mrs. Diaz pictured with her husband Jon and their two children: son Sonny and daughter Frida
‘I had a pretty strong immune system and was never sick. As a pre-kids, I went to the gym at least five times a week, ran between four and six miles every second day, and did yoga almost daily.”
Looking back, there were warning signs she didn’t recognize.
“I remembered that my sore left arm had been tingling for weeks, my inverted left nipple and the discharge I had been having for months — which I had blamed on breast milk residue from more than two years of breastfeeding,” Ms. Diaz said.
“For me, the new symptoms I was experiencing were warning signs and just a gut feeling that something was definitely wrong.”
Her diagnosis came on the same day Sydney entered its second pandemic lockdown.
However, there were also some positives amid all the fear and worry: Hers was the most common with breast cancer, meaning there were many treatment options available.
Ms Diaz underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and multiple operations to remove the ‘huge’ 8cm tumor from her breast.
“The biggest challenge has been facing my mortality and dealing with the fear and anxiety surrounding my future and the future of my children,” she said.
‘I struggled with my mental health, the side effects of treatment and the fact that I was going through medically induced menopause at 36.
‘Due to my medication I have a very low white blood cell count and suffer from neutropenia. I also have the classic symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, fatigue, insomnia and migraines are intense among other symptoms.”
She was finally given the all-clear in May this year, but is taking three different types of medication to prevent a recurrence.
‘Even though the side effects of the medications are a daily struggle, I feel good. “I exercise daily and prioritize whole foods and a plant-based diet,” she said.
Telling her children about her devastating illness and showing them how she lost her hair inspired Ms. Diaz to write a children’s book titled I Love Someone with Cancer.
“I wrote the book to make it easier for parents or carers to talk to young people in their lives about a cancer diagnosis – whether they have just been diagnosed themselves or a family member or loved one has been diagnosed,” says Ms Diaz. said.
She added: ‘I hope the book can help parents or carers explain cancer and what it means for them or others – such as hair loss, fatigue, anxiety and depression, while also reinforcing that all feelings are normal and that it is okay to feel and express different emotions. such as fear, anger or worry during the cancer journey.’
‘I Love Someone With Cancer’ is on pre-sale with an official release date in November.