Inseparable twin sisters diagnosed with breast cancer just six weeks apart
Inseparable twin sisters have been diagnosed with breast cancer - within weeks of each other. Scottish sisters Amanda Mcinulty and Rhona Buchanan, 51, received the tragic news just six weeks apart from each other.
In January this year Rhona started noticing that something wasn't right with her left breast. Rhona broke the news to Amanda that she had breast cancer on FaceTime and she realised it was best if she get checked out too.
Just six weeks after Rhonda's diagnosis, Amanda revealed she also had breast cancer. In recent months both have undergone mastectomies on their left breasts.
They teamed up on TikTok to raise cancer awareness after both undergoing mastectomies. Amanda lives in in Burton-on-Trent and Rhona Buchanan in central Scotland.
Amanda said: "It has been an emotional journey for ourselves and our family and friends.
"With us being so close we have been able to support each other. And I think it has actually brought us closer."
Rhona added: "I appreciate the time that we spend together more."
Born just 14 minutes apart, the "inseparable" identical twins each have a son and a daughter, and even became grandmothers to two boys born. Thirty years ago Amanda moved to Burton-on-Trent but the sisters take every opportunity to meet up.
Amanda said: "We have always been close. We have never had a bad word to say about each other.
"I moved down south but we take every opportunity to meet up. We have a caravan in Carlisle it is quite a good central spot for us to meet up."
Rhona first noticed a change in her left breast in January 2025, which prompted her to visit her GP. She was then referred to the breast clinic to undergo an ultrasound and mammogram.
Rhona said: "I had noticed a change in my left breast - there was a dimpling. The doctor referred me to the breast clinic and after a mammogram and a ultrasound they said it was likely to be breast cancer.
"It was confirmed in the end of April when they said I had invasive lobular cancer. They thought it was multiple tumours but after a surgery they confirmed it was just one large tumour I had."
The shocking news was delivered to Amanda over FaceTime - who travelled to Scotland to support her sister. Amanda soon decided return south to do a mammogram screening.
She got a call back and a letter asking to go back to some further tests where she did a mammogram and an ultrasound. But six weeks later she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Rhona said: "Amanda went back to her appointment and the same thing happened. She Facetimed me from the hospital car park and told me she had breast cancer."
Amanda said the sisters "could not believe" what was happening and that it was "ironic" that the cancer was also in the left breast.
She said: "I had no symptoms. It was just your routine breast screening after you're age 50 you get invited for breast screening and that's where it was picked up.
"I just thought I was double-checking that everything was alright and for that to happen to me it was just unbelievable."
Amanda's cancer was identified as invasive ductal cancer. She was offered a lumpectomy but chose a full mastectomy instead. Rhona completed radiotherapy a few weeks ago and she is on a hormone tablet called tamoxifen for 10 years.
With Amanda because she caught the cancer early the doctors managed to remove the cancer and she doesn't need radiotherapy or further treatment.
Amanda said: "It has been an emotional journey for ourselves and our family and friends.
"We being so close we have been able to support each other. I think it has actually bringing us closer."
Rhona added: "I appreciate the time that we spend together more."
The twins have even set up their own TikTok account where they share their cancer journeys on TikTok.
They have had many people reaching out to them asking for advice on breast cancer - including school friends that they have not seen for years. Thousands of views have been amounted in the sisters account @twintides0.
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Rhona said: "I was at Amanda's and I think we were having a conversation about how unique it is the fact that the two of us have got breast cancer within two weeks of each other.
"We were encouraged by Amanda's husband and our son and daughter to documenting our journey in TikTok. We just try to be our authentic selves and just getting our message across."
Amanda added: "We have got friends and family both in England and Scotland and it was a way for both of us share what was going on without directly talking to them. Rhona is the brain's behind it.
"It has been a positive experience all around really just an act to take our minds off what's been happening. It has been something we can actually do together which has been fun."
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