Gerrard Kaonga
A 43-year-old British woman has revealed her shock at being given devastating news about her health despite feeling completely fine.
Hairdresser Emma Johnson, from Newcastle, Australia, has said she did ‘everything right’ when it came to her health and even booked a mammogram every year since she turned 40.
However, she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in January of this year.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Johnson explained her journey up to this point.
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She said: “I got the lump examined at the doctor and they told me it was more likely just going to be a funny tissue.
“I couldn't get in for an ultrasound and a mammogram for four weeks because everywhere was busy and it was Christmas, so I didn't really worry about it.
“The first week of January was the first time I could get an appointment. As soon as I'd done the ultrasound, a doctor came in and said that it was very hard and I should prepare for it being cancerous."
Despite being in shock, Johnson came in for a biopsy the following morning and results came back with devastating news.
She was told that she had double-positive breast cancer and that it was aggressive.
She also noted that she was told that it was in stage two and was pretty curable, but she was handed even worse news within the next two weeks.
A week later, she had an MRI and PET scan on her breasts and the results revealed that a small likely-cancerous spots had been found on her liver. They also said that it had spread to lymph nodes and that may only have two years left to live.
Johnson explained: “I went in last Tuesday and the surgeon told me that if it was in the liver he wouldn't be able to operate anymore... and that he was going to move me on to an oncologist.
“They told me they're not sure 'what path' we can take. They said there's no surgery, there's no chemo and that I'll be given a hormone injection every 28 days and two pills to take a day.
"I have cried and I've gone down that 'Oh my god. Why me? Why is this happening?' path. I'm fit. I go to gym every day. I'm healthy. I don't eat rubbish. I did like a drink (I've completely stopped now) but I just would never have imagined in a million years that I'd sit there and someone would tell me I have stage four cancer."
Johnson and her family are now seeking out alternative treatment clinic in Mexico and are hoping to raise money.
The clinic has previously had amazing results and the family believe it could give her a few more years with her partner and his two sons.