Deborah's breast screening story
In February 2025, Deborah was diagnosed with breast cancer after attending a routine mammogram following her invitation for NHS breast screening. She had no symptoms and felt completely well, but she knew it was important to attend her appointment. Looking back, she believes that decision may have saved her life.
After her mammogram, Deborah received a letter asking her to return to the breast screening service for further tests, including a biopsy. Although her original screening had been straightforward and she experienced no pain or discomfort, the follow-up appointment brought unexpected news – she was told she had breast cancer.
Since her diagnosis, Deborah has undergone six rounds of chemotherapy and now receives treatment by injection every three weeks. Her cancer is stable and being successfully managed, allowing her to continue living a relatively pain-free life.
Deborah says she never imagined how much a cancer diagnosis would change her life. While she received excellent care and information from her clinical nurse specialist and oncology team, she also found herself wanting to hear from people who had been through a similar experience.
That inspired her to write a book about her journey. By sharing her story, she hopes to provide comfort, practical advice and reassurance to others facing a breast cancer diagnosis, while also raising awareness of the importance of breast screening.
Deborah is encouraging every eligible woman to attend their breast screening appointment when invited. It takes around 30 minutes, could detect cancer before symptoms develop, and may ultimately save your life.
She said: "I felt perfectly healthy, so it would have been easy to put the appointment off. I'm so glad I didn't. If sharing my story encourages just one person to attend their screening, it will have been worth it."
To find out more about Deborah and her writing, visit her website: https://www.d-e-fox-author.com
Her new book, Cancer Can Do One, will be published later this year.