Walking down the aisle in October 2021, wearing a grey dress and clutching a bouquet of flowers. I caught my husband's eye as he stood next to our daughter Emma, then 12. John, then 42, blinked back tears as I tore my gaze away, swallowed the lump in my throat and stepped towards my seat at the front. My best friend Kara, then 39, walked confidently towards the altar, her gorgeous white dress flowing behind her. She looked beautiful and seeing the smile on her face as she greeted her husband-to-be, Gary, I knew I had made the right decision to keep a huge secret from her.
You see, less than 24 hours ago, I had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Kara and I had been friends for seven years after meeting at work. Both teachers, we got along from the moment we met. Our friendship was easy and even when we started working in different schools, we kept in touch, meeting for drinks after work and enjoying girly nights in.
Known for always getting things done last minute, I wasn't surprised when a box turned up at my door just a few months before Kara was supposed to get married. 'Will you be my bridesmaid?' the letter inside read. Thrilled, I accepted.
SHOCK DISCOVERY
It was just before Kara's hen do in Dunning in Perthshire that I'd noticed a lump in my right breast while in the shower. After a close family member had died from breast cancer when I was a teen, I knew I couldn't ignore it. Instinct told me to expect the worst, but I tried to stay positive. 'I'm sure it'll be nothing,' I said to John, trying to comfort us both.
Phoning my GP, I explained what I had found and about my family history. 'I'm referring you to the hospital straight away,' she said.
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