Routine scan led to early breast cancer diagnosis for West Lothian woman who's going out walking after midnight
A West Lothian woman who received a breast cancer diagnosis out of the blue is taking on a marathon-length moonlit challenge.
Angela Mairs was hit with the shocking news following a routine mammogram in March last year and is now urging people to take the opportunity of screening.
The 58-year-old mum from Uphall Staion, Livingston, will take part in this year's The MoonWalk Scotland, when women and men wearing brightly decorated bras walk 26.2 miles through the streets of Edinburgh.
Organised by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, this year's event will be the last to take place in the capital for the time being as it goes on tour to a new city.
'I was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue,' said Angela. 'It was the third mammogram I'd had since turning 50.
'I'd had absolutely no symptoms beforehand – no lumps, rash or puckering of the skin, classic symptoms of possible breast cancer.
'Then I received a letter saying the scan had been 'inconclusive' and asking me to attend for a follow up.
'I am a bit busty and thought there was simply some sort of technical issue with getting the right type of images. I didn't take my husband along to that second appointment, I wasn't concerned at all.
'Everything snowballed from there. There was an area in my left breast which needed to be investigated further. I had an ultrasound scan and two biopsies and returned to see the consultant a couple of weeks later for my results. He told me I had Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), an early-stage form of breast cancer, which was a huge shock.
'Some cells in the lining of the ducts of the breast tissue had started to turn into cancer cells, but hadn't yet spread elsewhere.
'If they hadn't been discovered when they were – by the mammogram – this would have been a real possibility.
'DCIS cells look like grains of rice on scans – they're quite small, which is why I wasn't able to feel anything untoward myself.'
The Business Support admin worker had surgery to remove the cancer in June last year. The procedure is known as a bilateral mammoplasty. Affected tissue was removed from her left breast with her right breast then adjusted to the same size.
Although surgery went well, a wound became infected. Angela also had five sessions of radiotherapy.
Prior to surgery she received hormone therapy, Letrozole, to slow the growth of the cells, which she continues to take, although an unfortunate side-effect is symptoms of menopause.
Angela is grateful for the support of those around her, in particular her husband Derek, 22-year-old son Derek, and his partner Neve.
'My friends and family have been absolutely amazing,' she said. 'My husband is self-employed and my friends were incredibly supportive while I was recovering from surgery, so that he could keep on working.
'I felt like I had my own private 'meals on wheels' service and they gave me with lifts everywhere too.
'After having been off work for a large part of last year, I now feel as though I'm back to business as usual and enjoying my normal life.
'I do need to build up my stamina. Taking part in The MoonWalk Scotland in September and all the training I'll need to do beforehand will give me a fantastic focus, as I try to regain my fitness.'
This won't be the first time Angela has taken part in the Full Moon event, she completed it back in 2019.
'I really enjoyed the night and loved the wonderful atmosphere – there were people out on the route supporting us at 2 o'clock in the morning,' she recalled.
Walk the Walk has already contributed millions of pounds in grants to the Breast Unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.
Angela added: 'I've well and truly used all the services at the Western General which Walk the Walk has helped to fund – the mammography unit, operating theatre and breast cancer ward.
'I'm also incredibly thankful for the mammogram which discovered my cancer when it did. This wasn't detectable without a mammogram, there were no symptoms. If breast cancer is caught early enough, a lot can be done to prevent the disease spreading.
"I'd urge everyone who is invited to take up the offer of getting a mammogram. It could save your life'.
The event has been going for the last 19 years and the date for this year's is Saturday, September 6.
To sign up for The MoonWalk Scotland 2025, visit:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
30-07-2025
- Daily Record
Long walk home from Essex for West Lothian man who tried to take his own life
'In the space of 10 days I lost my partner and the kids, my job, and my house' A West Lothian man who attempted to take his own life after his world fell apart is currently walking from "Essex to Edinburgh" to raise suicide prevention and mental health awareness. About 13 years ago, Craig Green found himself in the depths of despair when he split with his partner, lost his family, job and his home, all in a short space of time. The 43-year-old dad-of-three from Dedridge in Livingston, decided that he didn't want to live any longer and tried to take his own life. However, an alert shopkeeper spotted tell-tale signs that Craig was struggling and helped save his life. His life had been turned upside down following a series of personal hammer blows, while living in London. 'I tried to kill myself 13 years ago after splitting with my ex-partner, Craig admits. "I was staying in London and was quite isolated, I didn't really have any pals or get any help from anyone. I didn't speak out to anyone and that was the problem. "In the space of about 10 days I lost my partner and the kids, my job, my house, and I was living in a bedsit in Stoke Newington. "After the split my parents came down to visit me but it was after they went away. I planned my suicide over a couple of days and went into a shop where I was a regular and the guy kind of sussed that something was going on and followed me home without me knowing. "Next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital. The guy from the shop had phoned the police and an ambulance and they managed to get to me in time. So, yeah, I did try and end my life. 'I was 30 at the time and my youngest daughter was only around a year old.' Craig, who now lives in Essex, decided to take a step for each male suicide statistic and walk home to his mum's house in Livingston. He said: 'I live in Brentwood and was sitting in the house about a month ago and I read a statistic that said more than 700,000 men die each year from suicide. 'I wondered where that many steps would take me and one of the locations on the list was Edinburgh, so I got it in my head I would walk it during the summer. 'I don't usually walk, so it's been tough. I'm quite a fat guy but I'm not unfit. A couple of weeks before I started I was doing about seven or eight miles a day. I do play a lot of golf. 'I set off on Thursday, July 24. I'm coming up the east coast and will travel up through Hull, Newcastle, Berwick, Dunbar, Haddington and Balerno. So, I'm not actually going through Edinburgh, I'll be on the outskirts. 'It's over 500 miles the journey I'm doing. The first two days I went from Brentwood to Cambridge but I pushed myself a bit too hard and my feet started getting sore. I'm wearing walking boots but might be better with a pair of trainers. I'm trying to do about 20 miles a day, but I don't have a set day for arriving. 'I work as a chef in a school in my local area, so I have the summer holidays off and we just broke up on July 22. I have a trip to Belgium planned with my missus next month, so I need to be back for that." Craig's walk is also raising funds for two mental health charities; MIND, and Men and their Emotions. 'Men's mental health is quite a big thing just now, Craig continued. 'Men and their Emotions was started by the comedian Daniel O'Reilly as a Facebook group. I've been a member of it since it started. 'There's a lot of men out there who need help.' The Livingston man is camping in a tent most nights with an occasional stay at B&Bs on the route north. 'I've not been a great person in the past, and like a lot of people I did a lot of stupid things when I was younger," Craig admitted. 'I just want to do something that I can be proud of leave a mark.' Craig's online fundraiser can be found at:
Daily Record
29-07-2025
- Daily Record
West Lothian couple had to 'hang out window and scream' as fire ripped through building
Courtney Ramage, 21, and her partner Yazmin have been left 'traumatised' after the blaze unexpectedly began in the middle of the night. A West Lothian woman has told of the horrifying moment her and her partner were trapped inside their flat after a fire broke out in the hallway of their building. Courtney Ramage, 21, and her partner Yazmin have been left 'traumatised' after the blaze unexpectedly began in the middle of the night. The terrifying ordeal took place in the early hours of July 8 when the landing outside Courtney's flat on Church Place in Fauldhouse burst into flames. Courtney was outside for a smoke around 12am while Yazmin was sleeping inside their flat. When Courtney re-entered the building, she encountered a fire inside the stairwell. She told Edinburgh Live: 'To this day, I still cant sleep properly. This is the first time it's ever happened.' Courtney ran back into her flat to awake Yazmin and grab her phone to call 999. However, the couple discovered the blaze was too large and hot for them to escape through the stairwell. Courtney added: 'I thought I was going to die. I called 999. They told us to go into living room and close the door. They told us to hang out the window to get fresh air and to put towels in front of door to prevent smoke getting in. 'We were screaming. We felt like we were going to die.' A spokesperson from Places for People, the housing association for Courtney's building, said they understood 'how worrying a fire in the building must have been for customers' and they 'checked on everyone following the incident to see if they were safe'. Courtney says the landing retained smoke and fire damage following the blaze, and her asthma has been more severe in the days following the fire. She added: 'I'm already asthmatic and having to walk through the soot and stuff has affected my lungs, causing me to have asthma attacks.' Places for People said: 'We carried out an immediate inspection after the fire last week. There are some works required now to repair fire damage in the hallway and doorways to some of the flats which are scheduled in and will be completed in the next few weeks.' A Places for People Scotland spokesperson said: 'We understand how worrying a fire in the building must have been for Customers and we checked on everyone following the incident to see if they were safe. 'We carried out an immediate inspection after the fire last week. This involved us speaking to Customers about any damage in their flats and we also had all common areas, including the hallways, cleared and cleaned to prevent soot contamination. 'There are some works required now to repair fire damage in the hallway and doorways to some of the flats which are scheduled in and will be completed in the next few weeks. This will also include any cleaning or works required in individual flats, although one Customer is refusing entry to do this. 'We can assure customers that we are working as quickly as possible to arrange for all works to be completed and we have been keeping them updated regularly. 'Our number one concern is the welfare of Customers, and we urge everyone to adhere to the fire safety guidance in place so any further incidents can be prevented.' A Scottish Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: 'We attended an incident at 37 D Church Place in Fauldhouse after receiving a call at 12.01am on July 8. We mobilized three appliances to a small fire on the landing of the property in a residential building. 'There were three casualties, all of which were treated by SAS at the scene and released. The last appliance left at 1.38am.' A spokesperson from the Scottish Ambulance Service said: 'We received a call on July 8 to attend an incident on Church Place. We dispatched one ambulance and our special operations team to the scene. No patients required transport to hospital.' A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 12.25am on Tuesday, 8 July, 2025, officers attended a report of a fire within a common area of a block of flats on Church Place, Fauldhouse. 'Enquiries were carried out and have concluded, no further police action will be taken. 'Anyone with any further information is asked to contact 101.'
Scottish Sun
28-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Mum's shock after learning real reason behind ‘unbearable' gum pain and the signs to look out for
TEETHING PAINS Mum's shock after learning real reason behind 'unbearable' gum pain and the signs to look out for Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM was left surprised after her unusual dental complaint turned out to be a sign she had started the menopause. Angela Cook, 49, started to experience "unbearable" gum pain whenever she ate and couldn't understand why. 1 Angela has shared her story to help more women recognise the symptoms of the menopause Credit: ANGELA COOK The mother-of-one endured "intense" gum ache, particularly around her molars, when eating hard or chewy foods. Enjoying her favourite treats – humbug sweets, sugar cane and apples – was "impossible", and soon eating everyday meals became just as agonising. Given the nature of the problem, she visited a dentist – opting to go private and was told the discomfort was likely due to ageing. Angela had been experiencing typical menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and mood changes 12 months prior to this in 2021 – at the age of 45, but she hadn't made the connection. It was only when she happened to overhear a discussion on the radio about menopause and gum health that everything "clicked into place" – and she realised she was going through the menopause. She shared her story after a poll of 1,000 women yet to go through menopause, commissioned by CanesMeno, found 19 per cent consider it to be a mystery. Signs of ageing There are 50 recognised signs of the ageing process - including dental problems, a symptom 89 per cent aren't aware can develop during the climacteric. Hormonal fluctuations, particularly a drop in oestrogen during menopause, can cause gums to become inflamed, bleed and ache, according to experts. Determined to find a solution, Angela started researching online for possible treatments and came across "gum massaging" on YouTube ≠ gently rubbing the gums underneath each tooth with her fingers after flossing, once a day. She started doing it daily in June 2022 and noticed an "instant difference". Angela, a psychologist from Banbury, Oxfordshire, said: "I never had any tooth or gum problems before the menopause – dentists would tell me how healthy my teeth were. "So, this was a massive surprise. "It left me in great pain and apprehensive about eating food that had to be chewed, so I was desperate for anything that would help take away the pain I was in, even if it was a little. "I felt relieved when I came across the radio segment – I didn't feel so alone.' Fiona Phillips opens up about the heartbreaking real reason behind marriage troubles after 'blaming menopause' Due to the massaging, over time, her symptoms gradually improved, and Angela still massages her gums weekly to maintain her gum health and prevent flare-ups. While she still experiences occasional aching, the episodes are far less frequent and no longer dominate her life. She also still experiences hot flashes, "few and far between", as well as occasional night sweats. 'The risk of gum ache curbs my cravings' Angela, married to Matthew Cook, 57, a builder, and mum to daughter, Dee, 14, said: "I still experience aching from time to time, but not so much. "I miss eating humbug sweets and sugar cane, but the risk of having the gum ache, like before, curbs my cravings." It comes after further research by CanesMeno of 1,000 females who are going or have been through menopause found 52 per cent didn't feel prepared for the ageing process. With 52 per cent of all women polled – both those who have and haven't experienced the ageing process believing more needs to be done to educate women on it. Similarly, 48 per cent think the wider public needs to be better educated on the topic, while 35 per cent wish they'd been taught about menopause at school, university, or college. Carried out through OnePoll, the study found 21 per cent of everyone polled believes the menopause is a taboo subject. And 75 per cent of those who have gone through the ageing process admitted they avoided talking about their symptoms with others. Angela added: "It wasn't until I heard it discussed openly that I realised it was even a thing. It made me feel validated – there was a reason for what I was experiencing.' A spokesperson for CanesMeno, which has launched a training programme to educate Boots pharmacists on the signs of the menopause, said: 'It's still somewhat of a mystery for many women – perhaps even for those who have experienced it. 'People will have their perceptions of what they think the menopause is, but it impacts those going through it many ways, way beyond what they might expect. 'And this study highlights some of these ways – sadly there is a bit of a knowledge gap and we want to change that.'
