'Doctor told me young people have lumpy boobs - then I was diagnosed with cancer'
A woman who was concerned for her health was told "young people have lumpy boobs" before she was eventually diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer.
Scottish teacher Beth Ferguson, 30 contacted her GP in October 2022 when she discovered a small lump on her left breast.
The GP believed the lump was most likely benign or a cyst because it was smooth and mobile, but Beth was referred to the local breast clinic just in case. There, she was informed it was "nothing to worry about" as "younger people have lumpy boobs".
Around 10 months later, Beth began to notice that the lump was growing. She returned to her GP and was referred to Gartnavel Hospital, Glasgow. The Mirror has approached NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for comment.
An ultrasound and biopsy revealed Beth had a triple negative tumour. Beth, a physics and maths teacher, from Glasgow, said: "After noticing the lump, I went to my doctor, who said I was fine.
"They referred me to the local breast clinic, and the consultant said it was a cyst and there was nothing to worry about. They said I was young, and younger people have lumpy boobs. After that, I wasn't worried; they said if anything changes, or it gets bigger, to come back."
She had first noticed the lump in the shower. "It started off small, it gradually got bigger and never really went away,' she explained, according to the Daily Record. Beth added she thought it was unlikely to be anything serious as she had no family history of 'anything serious' and believed the lump was most likely a cyst,
She said the clinic's comment about lumpy breasts put her mind at ease. "Life went on - I was training for and completed the Boston Marathon and got engaged to my partner in New York,' she said. She is now on the mend after 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a breast reconstruction and immunotherapy led to her being given the all clear in May last year.
Part of the reason for Beth's shock at her diagnosis was that she felt 'so healthy and fit' at the time she was diagnosed. Suddenly faced with an alarming diagnosis, Beth decided during her treatment to freeze her eggs because of the 'induced menopause' she was put on to protect her ovaries during treatment.
'I largely coped well with the side effects and stayed very active between treatments,' Beth said of her treatments. "I continued my marathon training, I went to the gym, and I was still working for the first few months.
"One of the worst side effects was that I was put on induced menopause. They shut down my ovaries to protect them - I went into menopause overnight."
Despite the success of her treatment, Beth has said she has struggled to move on. 'It was the start of anxiety for me,' she revealed.
She is now Breast Cancer Now and Secondary1st's funded research which hopes to develop a more targeted treatment for people with triple negative breast cancer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Investigation launched into SNP ministers over huge eye operation delays as thousands of Scots are forced to go private
An investigation has been launched into long waiting times for cataract surgery in light of MailOnline's revelations that thousands of hard-pressed Scots are having to go private. The Scottish Liberal Democrats are heaping pressure on SNP ministers after it was revealed 8,500 Scots were forced to raid their savings to pay for basic care last year – more than double those who went private in 2019. Nearly 19,000 people are stuck on NHS waiting lists for the eye op across Scotland – with one patient in NHS Grampian waiting for more than three years. Party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has now filed more than 20 written questions to the Scottish Government to uncover the reasons behind such long delays. He said: 'I'm pleased to see MailOnline drawing attention to this important issue and piling the pressure on the Scottish Government. Patients having to go private or facing waits of up to three years to be able to see again is simply not on. 'Ministers need to ensure that cataract surgery waits come down and people can get the care they need swiftly. I want these patients to know that I am on their side. These questions are part of an effort to get to the bottom of what is holding back patients from getting the care they need.' Mr Cole-Hamilton has asked about staffing levels, the reasons for waiting times, and what contact Health Secretary Neil Gray has had with NHS boards over the delays. Earlier this month, the party revealed figures showing the true scale of cataract surgery waiting times with NHS Grampian admitted that one person had been on their treatment list for 1,253 days. Delays recorded at other health boards include 869 days in NHS Shetland, 824 days in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 680 days in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, 644 days in NHS Borders, 548 days in NHS Fife, 532 days in NHS Lanarkshire and 508 days in NHS Highland. In total 18,956 Scots are on a cataract surgery waiting list, with the longest list in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, where 3,207 people have been referred. NHS Fife is second, with 2,440 patients waiting for the surgery. MailOnline's own investigation found 8,500 Scots paid for cataract ops out of their own pocket in 2024, more than double the 4,075 people forced to go private for the surgery in 2019. Grandfather David Samson from Tayport in Fife has been waiting more than 19 months for a cataract operation on his right eye. The 87-year-old was first diagnosed in January 2024 and was originally told he would be treated within 18 weeks. That then became 18 months – and later almost two years. Mr Samson, a former kitchen designer and builder, hopes to finally be seen at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital in October. He said: 'It's not affecting my driving yet but I am anxious about it. My condition is slowly getting worse.' Mr Samson has a relative in England with the same condition who expects to be treated in 16 weeks. He added: 'I am 87. When I'm in my box I want to see where I'm going.' A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said it hopes to cut surgery waiting lists to 52 weeks by the end of the financial year. Mr Cole-Hamilton added: 'Our NHS is being held back by neglect and mismanagement from SNP ministers. 'The SNP has repeatedly demonstrated that the NHS will never be its priority.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'This year, we are investing a record £21.7 billion in health and social care including £106 million to help health boards tackle the longest waits and deliver over 300,000 additional appointments. 'The Scottish Government is clear that no one should face a lengthy wait for important surgery and procedures.'
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Sandie Peggie case sparks lawsuit against trade union for rejecting toilet ban
The PCS union is facing legal action from one of its senior members, Fiona Macdonald, who claims to have been discriminated against due to her gender critical views. Sandie Peggie's battle with NHS Fife has sparked another gender critical woman to take legal action against her trade union for discriminating against her. The nurse is embroiled in an employment tribunal where she is suing the health board after being unhappy with sharing a female changing room with a trans female. Now a leading trade unionist is using her union after members campaigned and rallied against her due to her gender critical views. PCS also issued a statement rejecting the Supreme Court's ruling that for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, the term "woman" refers to a biological woman, and "sex" refers to biological sex. According to the Herald, Fiona Macdonald believes that PCS has been taken over by trans rights activists who have tried to destroy her life due to her gender critical beliefs. She has hired Ms Peggie's employment lawyer Margaret Gribbon to fight her case for her. Ms Macdonald has held several leadership positions within the union and says she was subjected to a sustained campaign of hostility for defending women's single-sex spaces, reports the Scottish Daily Express. She said: 'I'm suing them because of my belief system. I believe in a materialist and collectivist approach to politics and this runs contrary to my beliefs. Someone needs to burst this bubble in the unions and I'm now prepared to do it. I'd contacted a lawyer before for advice but then dropped it. Who wants to take action against their own union? 'Then recently, a friend of mine died and it prompted me to change my mind. She had also been an active trade unionist, but had found herself hounded and humiliated for her beliefs. The Supreme Court ruling [on single sex spaces] aligned with my perspective and yet my union issued a statement rejecting it. When I saw what was happening to Sandie Peggie, it made up my mind.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Ms Gribbon of McGrade Employment Solicitors in Glasgow, added: 'Trade unions, like employers, must comply with their duties under the Equality Act. That means they must not discriminate against members who hold gender critical or sex realists beliefs. 'Trade unions who are actively and publicly disassociating themselves with this lawful protected belief by, for instance, openly criticising the Supreme Court's decision in FWS may find it more difficult to defend litigations raised by members claiming they have been harassed or refused union assistance for holding and/or manifesting sex realist beliefs." Ms Peggie is also planning to sue her union, the Royal College of Nursing, after it failed to offer her support during her court action. A spokesperson for the PCS said: 'PCS notes that this matter may be the subject of litigation. Accordingly, we will not be offering any comment at this time.'
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Glasgow care home fined after resident found dead in car park
77-year-old Hugh Kearnis was a resident at Chester Park home in Kinning Park, Glasgow, and left the building through a fire escape during the early hours of Boxing Day 2022. According to BBC reports, his body was discovered in the car park six hours later despite staff falsely claiming to have checked on him throughout the night. READ MORE: Man charged after death of Scottish mother more than 30 years ago Owners of the home, Oakminister Healthcare Limited, have now plead guilty to a breach of health and safety and were handed a fine of £53,750. Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that, based on the nature of the guilty plea, the company was not found to have caused Mr Kearin's death. The admission of guilt related to a failure to ensure there was a system in place to confirm the internal fire alarm door was operational. It was stated in court that the company will pay the imposed fine over the next six months. Sheriff Joan Kerr said: "I wish to make it clear that the court recognises that the fine cannot compensate and no fine can be adequate "The court sends its sincere condolences for his loss." The court was told that Mr Kearins had dementia and was considered at risk of "absconding or wandering." A care plan had been implemented requiring staff to check on Mr Kearins every hour. Prosecutor Blair Speed said: "A senior care assistant and a care assistant who had responsibility for his care falsified care records. "They falsely stated that they performed tasks involving Mr Kearins at the time when he was no longer in the care home. "A close observation chart completed by the senior care assistant stated he had checked on Mr Kearins every hour between 2am and 8am. READ MORE: Greenpeace activists arrested as Forth Road Bridge protest ends "Both carers were unaware that he was not in his room until news of his death became known in the home following the discovery of his body in the car park." The carers were later dismissed from their positions and are currently under investigation by the Scottish Social Services Council. It remains unknown which staff member last accessed the internal fire door. Following the incident, the company introduced a new system requiring every exit and entry point to be checked at the end of each shift to ensure alarms are working. An additional alarm has also been installed at the top of the stairs outside Mr Kearins's former room to alert staff if someone enters the area.
