In March 2020, 33-year-old Anu Varghese moved from Kerala in Southern India to Dublin to work as a nurse. Unfortunately, her dreams of a new life were put on hold as she received a breast cancer diagnosis just months after moving to Ireland. She tells her story to raise awareness about inflammatory breast cancer and to give hope to others going through a similar diagnosis.

“I had moved alone to get settled in Ireland before my husband and two daughters would join me, this was a hard thing to do especially as lockdown had started and I was living in shared accommodation.  Around July I noticed my breast felt very swollen, and I thought maybe it was an infection. I always thought only a lump meant breast cancer, so I ignored it for a few months. Meanwhile, my husband moved over and after that I went to my GP who referred me for a non-urgent triple assessment.

“About six weeks later, I still hadn’t been seen and while googling my symptoms I read about a rarer and aggressive type of cancer- inflammatory breast cancer. I was starting to feel really concerned so I went into A & E, they gave me a referral letter, so when I was finishing my night shift, I went into the Breast check. The moment they saw me they did a mammogram and biopsy. There and then they said, ‘it looks like cancer’. I was so shocked and was thinking ‘this can’t happen to me, I’m only 33, I’m healthy and have had no signs until now. It’s a bad dream and I’ll wake up from this dream’. 

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My chemotherapy began in December. Being 33 and losing your hair is hard, my nails would just fall off and my hands were covered in blisters. The treatment was tough, but I didn’t want to just sit home and worry so on chemo days I began going for 5k walks, this helped me to stay positive. 

“When I was diagnosed, one of the first things that came to my mind was that I didn’t want to be dependent on someone else. My husband had just started his career in Ireland and was working towards bringing our kids over here, so I didn’t want to get in the way of that and have him waiting for me outside appointments. Having the Irish Cancer Society Volunteer Driver service was such a blessing. It was incredible, someone was always waiting to bring me to chemo and bring me home. Most of the drivers I met were cancer survivors themselves or had lost loved ones to cancer, we had some really positive chats and that felt so comforting.

“Three months after chemo, my scan showed there was no active disease in my liver or bones, which they told me was a miracle. It was a response no one expected so it felt so good to get that news.  I then started on targeted therapy, my hair started growing back, and so I felt like I was slowly getting back into life.

“My employer was such a huge support to me throughout the whole process, which I never expected, so I asked even if I couldn’t return to work fully, could I work in some capacity. They agreed and gave me a new role which allowed me to continue working in the hospital, just not as ward nurse. I’m still working there now whilst on maintenance treatment and I have checkups every 3 months. 

Everything is looking good at the moment. My daughters moved over in 2021 and they’re doing great in school and really enjoying Ireland.  I’m working full time and doing a Masters in nursing, it’s a totally new life for me, I’m taking one day at a time but working towards all my dreams.

When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t tell my family in India that I was sick, we visited this year, and I told them then, I didn’t want to talk about my cancer until now. It has taken me a while to share my story, but I hope that it will give some strength to others. 

The one thing I want to remind people of is to be aware of all the signs and symptoms of cancer, it’s not always a lump! It’s a misconception that cancer is often lump with no pain, but this is not true in every case. If you notice any changes at all or have any doubts don’t ignore it, go get expert help. 

My message to anyone going through cancer is to never let go of your hope. Fill your mind with positive thoughts and believe this too shall pass, it may look difficult at the moment, but one day you will look back and say, "I survived ".