Woman, 28, Spent Year Asking for Avocado-Sized Tumor to be Tested Before Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Diagnosis

"They would tell me, 'I really wouldn't worry about cancer you're too young,'” recalled Buchanan in an interview with the Montreal Gazette.

"I wanted to believe it was just a cyst; I really didn't want it to be cancer. I'm not going to argue with a doctor. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't feel like it was enough for me to go on a crusade against all the medical professionals who said don't worry about it."

It was not until August, when her tumor had grown to be the size of an egg, that she finally managed to get an in-person appointment. But even then, as before, she was told not to worry about the growth.

Related: A Kentucky Mother of Four and Bronze Star Veteran Is Facing a New Battle: Triple-Positive Breast Cancer During Pregnancy

There was also now pain in her arm, but the doctor still sent her away without a referral. Through this all, Buchanan was calling public and private clinics as well as imaging centers hoping to get an appointment for a mammograom or ultrasound with no luck.

She returned to the same facility in February, this time with her growth the size of an avocado. Buchanan left that visit with a referral, but because it identified her growth as a cyst it was not scheduled for another three months.

That April her arm went numb and she called every clinic in Montreal until one agreed to run the tests. A short time later she learned that she had triple-negative breast cancer, and it was now stage III.

"It felt like I had to go through all these circles and jump through obstacles just to see someone, depending on if the first person thinks it's valid enough or deems my symptoms worthy enough," said Buchanan, who has frozen her eggs and is undergoing an aggressive treatment because of the advanced stage of the cancer.

"I should have just been able to get a referral with no problem. They were very quick to brush me off because of my age.”

Related: Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings Dropped 87% and 84% Respectively During the Height of the Pandemic; Why It's Imperative To Get Back on Track

Cancer Survivors Turned Advocates

Advocating for yourself and your health is an important step in catching a possible diagnosis early. There are obstacles for both men and women, as men often delay reporting symptoms to their doctor and women can be dismissed by their physician like Valerie Buchanan was.

This was also the case for April Knowles, who visited her doctor after finding a lump in her breast but left without any answers. However, Knowles soon learned that her doctor had missed her breast cancer, which had spread to her spine and hip. This taught her an important lesson about advocating for yourself.

Related: If You Feel Something, Say Something Men Ignore Symptoms Too Often

“I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors," April says. "You're too young for this or here's some Prozac, go home and cook dinner for your children. I think a lot of patients don't want to hurt their doctor's feelings either. We really do want our doctors to like us, but you have to take charge. You have to learn about your disease You have to ask questions. Even if you can get your doctor to do a second opinion over the phone somewhere just to get the peace of mind that you're on the right track, I think it's very helpful."

Following a cancer diagnosis, many survivors have become advocates in spreading awareness around the disease and how to prevent a late diagnosis. This was the case for former NYPD cop Patti Murillo Casa, who was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer three months after she retired. Now, Casa advocates for other women battling cervical cancer by educating them on the disease and teaching ways women can catch it early.

Related: Lillian Kreppel Got Cancer Through HPV, And She Wants to Stop the Vaccine Controversy

"It's important for me to advocate, to help other women," Casa told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "I share my story and I want them to learn from it. I want women to know that if you're fighting this disease, you're not alone. I'm here, and I want to help other women prevent this disease, that my generation will be the last generation to have cervical cancer."

Ex-NYPD cop and cervical cancer survivor, Patti Murillo Casa, advocates for other women to be vigilant

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Being aware of how your breasts normally look and feel is an important factor when it comes to breast cancer detection. Doing regular self-exams is one way to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally feel, so that you will be able to identify anything out of the ordinary like a lump or hard mass. Below are some other symptoms to look out for.

• New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
• Swelling on all or part of the breast
• Skin dimpling or peeling
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple turning inward
• Redness or scaliness of breast or nipple skin
• Nipple discharge (not associated with breast feeding)

These symptoms can, of course, be due to things other than cancer. For example, a lot of women experience breast tenderness during certain times in their menstrual cycles. If you're worried talk to your doctor about it. They may want to perform an exam, or even schedule a mammogram just to be safe.

When Do I Need a Mammogram?

There's some debate about when the right time to get a mammogram is, but current American Cancer Society guidelines call for: women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening; women with average risk should begin annual mammograms at age 45 and to continue through age 54; women 55 and older can begin getting mammograms every other year.

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