Breast Cancer Story: Robyn G.
Full Cancer Story Below
The 12 signs of breast cancer helps women detect breast cancer early because they know what to look out for during monthly self-exams. Download the free Know Your Lemons app to learn about these symptoms in detail.
I saw the Know Your Lemons image a few years ago. Honestly, I don’t remember where, but it left a big impression on me. Like many, I really only thought that lumps were a sign of breast cancer.
The lemons gave a clear visual and stuck with me over the years.
While living in the US I started getting annual and sometimes biannual mammograms and ultrasounds around the time I turned 40. I have dense breasts so my doctors were cautious, plus yearly mammograms are standard for women in their 40s in the US.
My family moved to England in October 2020, in the middle of the pandemic for my husband's job. We spent most of our first year here in and out of lockdowns, in Covid quarantine, trying to adjust to living in a new country, and exploring our beautiful city without all of the tourists. By summer 2021, things were starting to feel back to a new normal and we could travel, meet new friends, and really start our UK adventure. Little did we know, cancer would change this.
A big part of moving to a new country meant adapting to a new and different healthcare system and, in my case, one that generally does not start mammograms until age 50. As I was setting up all my health appointments over the summer, I saved my mammogram to be discussed when I could get in with my GP, which was backlogged due to Covid. In September I started to notice a slight indentation/dent on my left nipple.
I did not feel a lump but remembered the Know Your Lemons graphic and knew nipple changes could be a sign of breast cancer.
I made an appointment with my GP and within three weeks was referred to the local breast clinic where I had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. They told me they were pretty sure it was cancer which was located behind my left nipple and not easily felt. The biopsy confirmed that I have ER+ Invasive Lobular Cancer. Three weeks later I had a unilateral mastectomy and node biopsy. Unfortunately, two of the three nodes contained cancer so I needed chemo which I started before Christmas. After six sessions in total, and the longest four months of my life, I am finally finished! I will have a full node clearance in a month, find out new scan results and start radiotherapy a few weeks after. I will then need to take hormone blocking medication for 5-10 years. At least that is the plan for now.
I truly think that the Know Your Lemons image made a difference in my cancer diagnosis and story.
With moving abroad, Covid, medical backlogs, taking care of my other health issues, simply being a mom and wife, I could have easily overlooked the change in my nipple. Knowing the signs of cancer pushed me to make the appointment with my GP and request to be seen even though I am younger than the standard screening age in the UK.
I am sure that my experience is one of many that shows the impact your image has had on breast cancer awareness and diagnosis. Thank you for being a part of my cancer story. I am so very grateful.
Best,
Robyn G.
(April 6, 2022)
“Seeing the Know Your Lemons image of the 12 signs of breast cancer made all the difference in my breast cancer diagnosis. Today I am happy to say that after months of treatment my scans have all come back clear! I am truly grateful and it is all thanks to Know Your Lemons.”
– Robyn Gimbel
We want to thank Robyn and all those who have shared their breast cancer journeys with us. We would love to hear about your journey, what early detection and having open breast health conversations means to you. Go to this link to Share Your Story.
Social Media Posts by Robyn
Cancer. I have breast cancer. In October just days after my 43rd birthday I was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular breast cancer after I noticed changes in my breast. By November I had a mastectomy and in December just before Christmas I started my first round of chemotherapy. Yesterday we celebrated my last chemo treatment! It is a milestone but my cancer fight is not done yet as I will have another surgery in a few weeks, new test results, radiotherapy, and then medicine for many years.
It has been a whirlwind of a few months and so very difficult to go through so far from family and close friends. Marc and the kids have been a great support and we are so happy with the care I have received. I am doing okay, rocking a bald head {but missing my eyelashes and eyebrows), getting through all of this day by day, facing challenges and celebrating milestones.
Here are a few snaps from my chemo journey and the graphic I saw from @knowyourlemons a few years ago that helped me notice/identify the changes in my breast could be cancer.
Learn the 12 symptoms of breast cancer, complete monthly self exams, get yearly mammograms and advocate for your health.
Cancer Survivor…that’s me! After 2 surgeries, 6 rounds of chemo, 5 radiotherapy sessions, thousands of tears and what felt like a million appointments…all my scans and test results have come back clear! It’s time to celebrate the end of active treatment, process all that I have been through, adjust to the new me, and travel again!
And because I will forever be advocating about breast cancer awareness and monthly self exams. The second picture is the image from Know Your Lemons that I saw years ago that later helped me identify that the changes in my breast (not a lump) could be cancer.
Learn the 12 symptoms of breast cancer, complete monthly self exams, get yearly mammograms, and advocate for your health.
