In May last year, Patrice Morrissey found a lump in her left breast when she was in the shower. She had previously had cysts in her right breast, but because this lump was on the other breast, she was more concerned about it. 

She rang her GP that day, who referred her for triple assessment. “I had two biopsies and they inserted a clip as well [a marker which identifies the area for further surgeries or imaging]. When I met the surgeon, he said it didn’t look great but couldn’t say for sure until the biopsy came back.”

Patrice was then told in June 2023 that she had triple-negative breast cancer. Her treatment began with a planned 16 rounds of chemotherapy. “About six treatments in, I got an infection so I ended up in hospital for a couple of nights but they stopped my treatment for a week to give my bone marrow some time to replenish itself,” the mother of three says. 

She started chemotherapy again, before taking another break from it, during which time she could see that the tumour was growing. This was in October; she was scheduled for surgery in February but that was then brought forward. “I was meant to get a lumpectomy, however, an MRI the week before surgery showed that it had spread so I had a mastectomy and total lymph node clearance instead,” says Patrice. 

Following surgery, Patrice hit another bump in the road. She developed a chyle leak, where fluid from the lymph nodes (chyle) leaks into the surrounding tissue. It is a rare, but serious complication of surgery. “My surgeon had never seen it before; the nurses had never seen it before,” she says. “I thought I’d be in hospital for a few days and because I’m a single mum of three boys, my mum would look after them for that time. She ended up looking after them for two weeks while I was in hospital. It was awful because they didn’t really know how to treat it, and I was on three different antibiotics to see which one would clear it.”

Once she had recovered from this, Patrice was due to begin radiotherapy. However, it was discovered she a winged scapula, which was prevented her from getting into the position required for radiotherapy. She then underwent intense physiotherapy, before starting three weeks of radiotherapy, Monday to Friday. “That was tiring but got through it,” she says. “I’m now on a further chemo tablet until June, which has given me a side effect called palmar planter, which isn’t really sore but I had to pause treatment to let my feet heel, and I also had radiation burns, which I’m dealing with.” 

She adds, “Everything that could go wrong for me did, but I don’t want to scare anyone who gets a similar diagnosis and who is reading this. I just want to highlight that this can happen, and it’s tough but it will be ok and it’s amazing how resilient our bodies are. I am still here today and getting through it and feeling well. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.” 

She credits the support of her family and her friends for helping her get through the experience. “My kids have been unbelievable throughout this and showed such courage and maturity. They are the reason I never gave up. Even on days when I felt rubbish. I would get up, dressed, face on and get through the day, for them”

Her words of advice to anyone in a similar situation are, “Ask for help, people are amazing. I couldn’t have done it without family and friends, but also avail of the services from the Irish Cancer Society and ARC.” When she was first diagnosed, she didn’t want to cry in front of family and friends. “In saying that, I should have allowed myself to cry and accept that it’s an awful illness and it’s tough. You have to allow yourself to go through the emotions. Yes, be brave and be positive but also allow yourself to be in the moment as well and acknowledge that you are going to have a rough time and that you will get through it.”

Last year, Patrice organised a Big Pink Breakfast to fundraise for the Irish Cancer Society and raised an incredible €13,500 on the morning. “I loved doing that because the run-up to it, it kept me busy for four weeks planning it and to get that amount of money was the icing on the cake.” 

She has been affected by the cost of cancer. “I’m on chemotherapy which costs €80 and it’s for eight months. That’s outrageous. In my eyes, there’s no way that someone should have to pay for life-saving treatment, and I’ve only recently gone back to work and I’m only working part-time.” She feels similarly about hospital car parking charges. “I think it’s absolutely shocking. When you’re out there for 16 weeks, it’s €9, €10, €15 some week. It does all add up when you’re there, every day, for three weeks.”

Patrice is calling for people to support Daffodil Day this year. “When I was first given my diagnosis, they said 10 years ago, they probably wouldn’t be treating me. It just goes to show that the amount of money that goes into research alone, and the new drugs that are out there are lifesaving. You’re going to be saving somebody’s life by contributing.”

She also asks women to check their breasts. “It could save your life, it did mine.”