Woman, 39, blamed her back and shoulder pain on an old mattress – then doctors found stage 4 cancer
A mum who blamed her back and shoulder pain on 'sleeping on an old mattress' was devastated when she was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
Kimberley Anderson was initially diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in October 2019 after finding a lump in her left breast while showering.
The 39-year-old underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment alongside a mastectomy with reconstruction on her left breast, before she was given the all-clear in early 2021.
Kimberley says she'd 'put cancer to the back of her mind', but at the start of 2023 she started to feel extremely tired.
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She suffered from such severe fatigue she needed to nap during the day, in addition to experiencing muscle aches, loss of appetite and weight loss.
The mom-of-one says she blamed the muscle and bone aches, which she was experiencing in her back, shoulders and ribs, on sleeping on an old mattress.
Despite purchasing a new mattress in the January sales in 2023, Kimberley's pain persisted.
The nail tech was eventually referred for a CT scan in August 2023 after going to the emergency room because she was experiencing pain in her neck so severe that it had become difficult for her to breathe or swallow.
The scan revealed that Kimberley had a 5cm tumor in her neck, and in September 2023 she received the devastating diagnosis of stage four metastatic breast cancer.
A 'shocked' Kimberley was also told the cancer had also spread to her chest wall, ovary, rib and adrenal gland.
She underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment but received the devastating news that the cancer had spread to her brain in July 2024.
'I'd put cancer to the back of my mind'
Kimberley had surgery to remove the cancer from her brain in September 2024, and continues taking chemotherapy tablets daily.
She says her cancer is now 'stable' and she's seen no growth in the past year.
Kimberley hopes the treatment will continue to work for as long as possible, and wants to raise awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer other women should look out for.
Kimberley, from Dundee, Scotland, said: "I was told in early 2021 that I was cancer free - after that I kind of forgot about cancer and put it to the back of my mind.
"In 2023 I started feeling really fatigued, nauseous and I lost a lot of weight. I was experiencing muscle aches and pains in my shoulders and in my back."
Kimberley says she blamed the aches and pains on sleeping on an old mattress.
Kimberley said: "I thought I was just getting older, or my mattress was hurting my back. It was an oldish mattress - I did actually go and buy a new mattress.
"I went to the shop where you lie on the bed and it tells you what kind of mattress you need.
"I was thinking 'it must be me, I'm getting older', I wasn't thinking about cancer at all.
"I was going to the gym - I was living a healthy lifestyle at the time. I just didn't really think the cancer would come back because I had been living quite healthily."
'I was struggling to breathe'
Kimberley purchased the new mattress in January 2023 but her symptoms persisted. Then, in August 2023, Kimberley was rushed to the emergency room where doctors carried out a CT scan and discovered that her breast cancer had returned and spread to five areas of her body.
Kimberley said: "I was struggling to breathe and swallow at this point so I went to hospital.
"They did a CT scan and I had a 5cm tumor in my neck, a mass on my chest wall, a mass on my ovaries, a mass on my adrenal gland and my ribs.
"It was an absolute shock because I really had put it [the cancer] behind me. I thought that chapter of my life was closed and I didn't want to think about it again.
"I started crying and shouting for my partner to come through because I didn't really know what to do or say."
In October 2023, Kimberley underwent five rounds of radiotherapy treatment to target the tumor in her neck, followed by 12 rounds of chemotherapy.
But less than a year later [July 2024], Kimberley received the devastating news that the cancer had spread to her brain.
She underwent surgery to remove the tumor from her brain two months later [September 2024], and continues taking oral chemotherapy tablets daily.
While there is no cure for her breast cancer, Kimberley hopes the treatment will continue to stop the cancer from growing.
Kimberley said: "The cancer is still present but it's completely stable, there has been no growth for over a year now. I hope that I stay on this treatment for as long as possible.
"When this one does stop working, I'll move on to a different one and I think that will be my last treatment - I think that's my last option.
"I'm really hoping these tablets work for as long as they can."
'I'm not just a statistic'
"The statistics before the cancer moved to my brain was that my prognosis was anything between 10 and 20 years, but once it goes to your brain the statistics say that it drops to between three and five years," she continued.
"I don't believe in these statistics, I don't take any notice of that. Just because it's three years on the statistics, it doesn't mean that it's three years for me. I'm not just a statistic, I'm stronger than a statistic."
Now, Kimberley is urging other women to check their breasts regularly, no matter their age.
Kimberley said: "I advocate that women should be checking their breasts no matter what age they are - even if you're in your 20s. We know our bodies better than anyone, including the GP, so don't let a GP fob you off.
"Advocate for yourself, push past the primary care barrier, do what you need to get seen by proper specialists."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Topics: Scotland, UK News, Health, Breast cancer, Cancer
Niamh Shackleton