Young mum takes charge of her breast cancer

This year alone, 1 in 7 Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by their 85th birthday.¹ With breast cancer most commonly diagnosed in women aged 70 to 74-years-old, for young women, a breast cancer diagnosis can come as a shock. Townsville local Elyce Mitchell was just 32-years-old and trying for her second child when she received the diagnosis no young woman expects to hear.

“I have a beautiful little girl Millie who turns two in September. We were starting to think about baby number two in August last year when I found a ropey area in my left breast. After I finished breast feeding, I noticed discharge coming from my breast.”

Elyce went to the doctor straight away and after receiving scans and ultrasounds, a weight was taken off of her shoulders – she was given the all clear. But just six months later, a routine pre-natal ultrasound turned her life upside down.

Her CrossFit community have also continued to show an incredible level of support she did not expect. She says the platform helped her find her feet when she needed it most.

“Social media has been a massive help for me. When I was first diagnosed, my best friend Megan went on a mad search for anything cancer related and found a couple of people who I then followed on Instagram. The thought of connecting with people on social media who have gone through similar experiences is pretty awesome, and if they can do it then maybe I can too. It’s been great to share my experience with cancer and how I’ve been getting through treatment.”

“It made me realise you do have the ability to impact others beliefs and motivations. All of the little things have really meant a lot to me. One lady said if she could recommend four people to follow on Instagram, I would be one of them. It really surprised me because the other three were celebrities!”

As a young woman with breast cancer, surrounded by older women at very different stages of their lives with the same diagnosis, Elyce’s experience hasn’t always been easy. While social media has been a great support, she says it still didn’t give her everything she needed to get through her diagnosis and treatment.

“It is different to be a young woman with cancer. When I started to lose my hair, I found it was really difficult to find headscarves appropriate for my age. Some of the stuff was quite daggy and I didn’t feel comfortable wearing it. I never went to a support group as I found it all quite depressing, but really relied on my friends, family and doctors. My advice for other young women is don’t Dr Google; do your own research and talk to someone, whether that’s a GP, friend or parent. I think it’s so important to find out as much as you can so you’re prepared for what comes ahead.”

“Emotionally and mentally, I’ve had some ups and downs but for now, I’m thankful that not much in my life has changed and I’ve handled chemotherapy pretty well with the support of my amazing husband, mum and friends.”

Elyce still has to face a mastectomy and radiation therapy but will continue to find support in her fellow cancer patients on Instagram and lean on those she holds close to her heart. She looks forward to returning to her normal life once her treatment is complete and hopefully expanding her family in the future.

To follow Elyce’s journey with breast cancer, you can visit her Instagram profile @elyce_mitchell