'My sister saved my life when she got cancer - I miss her so much'
A woman who lost her sister to cervical cancer said her life was saved after it spurred her to undergo an early health check-up. Katie Allen, 33 and originally from New Forest, Hampshire, went for a health assessment in the light of her sister Jen Bekker's ordeal.
A mammogram in April 2025 showed abnormal breast tissue, which was diagnosed as cancer following a biopsy in May. Katie has now had four rounds of chemotherapy and is considering a full mastectomy due to her positive test result for the BRCA2 gene - known to increase the risk of recurrent cancer.
Jen died in March this year - around 18 months after being diagnosed in November 2023. Katie has been left devastated by her loss.
Katie, the head of data for a marketing agency, said: "When Jen was sick I went to the doctors and explained. I wanted to get checked out. I wanted an MOT."
Katie added: "I'm grateful for where I am - it was a gift from Jen. I have got checked out because of her."
Jen's concerning symptoms were initially dismissed as prolapse, but upon pursuing a private ultrasound, her life-threatening ovarian cancer was detected in November 2023. She underwent five rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, completing her treatments by May 2024.
But her hopes were dashed when scans in July 2024 revealed the cancer had metastasized. In September, she embarked on more treatment, including immunotherapy.
Katie said: "In January she got a bit forgetful. She had constant headaches and her visions were blurry. It had metastasized to the brain."
Despite the grim prognosis, Jen managed to make a final journey to South Africa with her daughter Jessica, age 14, where she delighted in seeing leopards - which she affectionately referred to as 'her spirit animal'. Jenni's courageous battle ended when she died on March 1, 2025.
Katie said: "Jen was an absolute fighter. She tried everything she could to buy her more time with her daughter - Jess was her absolute world."
She added: "It doesn't feel real yet. It feels like she's on holiday.
"Losing Jen is harder than dealing with this. This I'm numb with. I haven't cried about my own cancer."
Just a day after being diagnosed, Katie began an intensive treatment plan that will involve 16 chemotherapy treatments over 20 weeks. She will then need surgery - now likely to be a full double mastectomy.
She may also need to have her ovaries removed due to the risk posed by the BRCA2 gene. Katie feels "grateful" for her timely diagnosis.
It led to a life-saving mammogram despite having no symptoms. She also credits the support of her husband, Cody Allen, 34.
Guidance in the UK means women here usually receive their initial breast screening invitation between the ages of 50 and 53. They rarely securing one earlier without the presence of symptoms.
Katie concluded: "They wouldn't have seen me until the lump was bigger. I'm fortunate it was caught at the stage it was."
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