A MUM-of-two has died after doctors deemed her to be ‘too young’ to have breast cancer.
Sinead Richards visited her GP a few weeks after finding a lump on her breast in the latter part of 2019.
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At the time the pastoral mentor was just 29-years-old and had put off visiting her GP as she didn’t think it would be cancer.
In early 2020 she visited the doctors and initially nothing was found, as she was believed to be ‘too young’ to suffer from breast cancer.
Liam MdDonagh (33 year old husband) encouraged her to return to surgery. She was shocked to learn that she had Stage Four breast carcinoma. It had spread throughout her body.
Sinead, despite her diagnosis, looked radiant when she married Liam on August 19.
They had been married for 12 years. They have two daughters, Paige, 7, and Georgie 10, respectively.
Sinead, just 31 years old at the time of their September 10th wedding, tragically died less than a year later.
How do you check for breast cancer?
To check for changes in your breast cancer, there is a self-examination that you can perform at home. It consists of five steps.
- Step one:Begin by looking in a mirror, facing it with your arms on your hips and your shoulders straight. You should look for any dimplings, bumps, bulging, redness, soreness and changes in the nipple.
- Step two:Still looking in the mirror, raise both arms above your head and check for the same changes.
- Step three: With your arms still above your head, check for any fluid coming from the nipples. You can find milky, yellow, or watery fluids, as well as blood.
- Step four:While lying down use your opposite hand to check each breast. You can use a few fingers to move around your breasts in a small circle. Keep them flat and close together. By moving in small circles from top to base, you can feel every inch of your breast. You can use a system to ensure that all areas are covered. Apply light pressure to the skin and tissue below, medium pressure to the tissue in your middle breasts, and finally firm pressure to the tissue at your back, down to your ribcage.
- Step five:Feel your breasts while either standing or sitting, using the same small circular motions.
Her heartbroken widower Liam told The Yorkshire Evening Post: “Everyone was smiling all day. Although she was unwell, it was a clear indication of her true condition. She persevered and displayed a strong face.
“It was mind over material. She made it to the top and that was all she wanted.
“It has had an enormous impact on my life. She was an amazing person.
“Nobody she ever knew had a negative word to say about her. Everyone loved her. It is so tragic.
“When we were in the hospital, people would give us a second glance as they couldn’t believe how young we were. She was only 31, we couldn’t believe it.”
KNOW THE SIGNS
Around one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer, although recovery chances are high if detected early.
Changes in breast cancer can cause changes, such as a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts.
There may be a lump that feels more dense or hard than the rest of your tissue. Also, there might be other changes such as rashes or nipple distortion.
Liam now encourages other women to examine their breasts and to see their GP if they have concerns – no matter their age.
He stated that if her story inspires even one person to have their breasts checked, then it would be worth it. She was an amazing person.
“I just want to show that this can happen to anyone and urge people to get checked if they ever notice anything.”
A fundraiser has been launched on GoFundMe to support the family and help with costs of a funeral which will take place on October 7.
A fun day at a local pub and a canal ride from Leeds to Liverpool have been organised in the fundraising drive – and more than £3,000 has been raised so far.
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