My cancer diagnosis SAVED MY FAMILY

Finding out she was sick meant April Bunce, 31, was able to protect her mum and sister

- FIONA DUFFY

Back in May 2015, April Bunce, now 31, was taking a shower when she discovered a strawberry-sized lump on her left breast.

‘I’d found lumps before that turned out to be blocked sweat glands, but this time it felt different,’ April says.

The thought of having breast cancer at the age of 26 was unthinkable, and the diagnosis a month later, in June 2015, left her reeling.

‘I just remember firing questions at the specialists, like, “Am I going to die?” and “Will I lose my hair?”’

The cancer had spread to April’s lymph nodes, meaning she was already stage three.

‘I’d need chemotherapy to shrink the tumour, then surgery, before finishing with an intense blast of radiotherapy to make sure the cancer was gone.

‘“Everything will be fine,” I assured my family cheerfully when I broke the news – but, deep down, I was terrified,’ April remembers.

A few weeks into chemo, April tested positive for the genetic mutation BRCA2, which meant she needed a different type of chemotherapy. ‘Due to the risk of getting ovarian cancer, doctors had to “shut down” my ovaries using hormone blockers until I could have them removed,’ April explains.