How wearing a SPORTS BRA saved my life: Runner says chafing she suffered on a jog alerted her to a ‘veiny bump’ that ended up being a sign of breast cancer
- Sandra Greene was out for a run when her bra started to chafe against her chest
- She noticed a bumpy vein which was later confirmed to be breast cancer
- The mother-of-two has credited the sports bra with saving her life
A breast cancer survivor has told how she believes wearing a sports bra saved her life.
Avid runner Sandra Greene, from Essex, felt chafing on her chest while jogging last spring.
Once the mother-of-two returned home, she saw a ‘bumpy vein’ on her left breast — which can signal breast cancer.
Ms Greene, 54, underwent an MRI scan that later revealed she had two tumours in her breast.
Recalling her cancer battle, she said: ‘It could have been a very different story if I hadn’t paid attention to my bra rubbing against my skin.
‘Thank goodness I checked as my cancer was caught early.’
Ms Greene, from Grays, added: ‘That sports bra saved my life.’
Sandra Greene, 54, from Grays in Essex, was out for a run when her bra that had previously been comfortable started to chafe against her chest. Once the mother-of-two got home, she saw a bumpy vein on her left breast which was later confirmed to be breast cancer
Sandra started running in 2015 and has raised around £4,000 Cancer Research UK through participating in running events. She was training for another when she noticed a cancer symptom
Ms Greene said: ‘I was really getting into my training when I realised that my bra was rubbing my chest. ‘It was a sports bra that I’d worn on many occasions and had always been comfortable, but, suddenly, it just felt wrong’
Ms Greene said: ‘I feel so grateful to be here and I’m looking forward to the future. ‘We’re hoping to go to America this year to visit my eldest son, Bradley, who’s there on a football scholarship, and hopefully meet up with so many people we couldn’t meet during lockdowns. ‘And, of course, I’m looking forward to taking part in lots more running challenges’
Breast cancer can have several symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue.
Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but it’s always best to have them checked by a doctor.
You should also see a GP if you notice any of these symptoms:
- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- discharge from either of your nipples, which may be streaked with blood
- a lump or swelling in either of your armpits
- dimpling on the skin of your breasts
- a rash on or around your nipple
- a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
- visible veins on the breast. This may signal a blockage in a blood vessel triggered by a lump or increased blood supply to the breast due to a growing tumour
Breast pain is not usually a symptom of breast cancer.
The financial ombudsman started running in 2015 and has raised around £4,000 for Cancer Research UK through participating in running events.
She was training for another when she noticed her bumpy vein.
Ms Greene said: ‘I was really getting into my training when I realised that my bra was rubbing my chest.
‘It was a sports bra I had worn on many occasions and had always been comfortable, but, suddenly, it just felt wrong.
‘It wasn’t a round lump. It felt more like a bumpy vein, so I wasn’t too concerned, but given my family history I decided to book an appointment with my GP.’
Medics diagnosed Ms Greene last July with multifocal lobular breast cancer, which is the second most common type of the disease, accounting for 15 per cent of breast cancers.
She underwent numerous biopsies and three surgeries — including a mastectomy and reconstruction in October.
Ms Greene was also placed on a seven-year course of hormone therapy.
But she said advancements in breast cancer treatment means she does not need to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy, so she is able to carry on with her life.
‘So here I go again, running to raise money for Cancer Research so more people like me can survive,’ she said.
Ms Greene, who lives with husband Neil and son Callum, 16, claimed she is looking forward to a healthy life.
She said: ‘I feel so grateful to be here and I’m looking forward to the future.
‘We’re hoping to go to the US this year to visit my eldest son, Bradley, who’s there on a football scholarship, and hopefully meet up with so many people we couldn’t meet during lockdowns.
‘And, of course, I’m looking forward to taking part in lots more running challenges.’
More than 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and around 11,500 die from the disease.
Common symptoms include a new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit and a change in the size, shape or feel of the breast.
But some women can also suffer what looks like visible veins on the breast.
This may signal a blockage in a blood vessel triggered by a lump or increased blood supply to the breast due to a growing tumour.
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