Cancer sufferer's year-long bid to raise awareness

As a child she puzzled over whether she would develop any and as a teenager she worried whether they would be ‘big enough’.

As a young mum, she breast-fed her two sons and, in her job as a nursery nurse, she encouraged other women to do the same to give them the best start in life.

When she left breast-feeding behind, Mrs Mitchell thought her ‘boob’ days were over.

But things changed in September last year when she found a lump.

She went to her GP surgery but was twice told it was a glandular problem.

However Mrs Mitchell knew something was wrong and persuaded the GP to refer her to a specialist.

Her mother had breast cancer when Mrs Mitchell was a teenager, so she was acutely aware of the possibility.

On September 30 it was confirmed she had an aggressive tumour.

The 48-year-old from Woodingdean, said: “I knew my own body and I knew I was right.

“At first I felt shock, disbelief and heartache.

“My husband Terry had the terrible task of telling our sons and our friends while I sat in shock.

“But once I had gathered my thoughts, I turned myself around and decided to get positive.”

Mrs Mitchell has now almost finished her chemotherapy treatment and is doing well while preparing to start a course of radiotherapy.

She said: “The side effects definitely take no prisoners but I have a lot of support from my sons and my husband, who is doing all the cooking and cleaning, and that really does help.”

For Mrs Mitchell, getting through cancer treatment meant getting busy.

After telling her husband, sons and colleagues at Sussex Community NHS Trust where she is a nursery business manager, Cara set about spreading the awareness message.

She said: “I’ve always had quite a cheeky sense of humour so I decided to post a humorous picture about checking your breasts every week on Facebook.”

With friends Laura Wardle and Janet Jones, Cara brainstormed ideas and came up with 52 different ways to refer to breasts and 52 images of her in assorted hats, wigs, glasses and make-up to go with them.

Characters so far have included Minions, Lou and Andy from Little Britain and a Christmas cracker.

Mrs Mitchell said: “We have had lots of ideas and it has been great fun working them all out. We’ll try to keep a theme going and will acknowledge other cancers as well.

“The intention is to keep going until the end of September so it will be a year after I was first diagnosed.

“Doing this has helped keep me focused and positive and I’ve been overwhelmed by the response I’ve had.

“There have been a lot of messages from people who have been through the same thing and from some friends who I didn’t even know had been diagnosed with cancer.”

Among those Mrs Mitchell has befriended is fellow breast cancer patient Sarah Cutting from Brighton, who spent a year posting selfies on Facebook every day wearing a different kind of hat while she was undergoing treatment.

She said: “I heard about Sarah just at about the time when she had finished her year long challenge and I remember being amazed she could manage to do something different every day.

“I don’t have enough outfits to do that. I got in touch with her through Facebook and she has been in contact and been really supportive.

“She has certainly been my benchmark and role model throughout all of this. I am determined to finish the challenge I’ve set."

Having her family around her has also helped Mrs Mitchell cope with what is happening, and this includes regular trips to Wales to visit her mum Rose Muir, 73, who developed breast cancer 27 years ago.

Mrs Mitchell said: “She was about the same age as me but she is a survivor and so am I.

“I had never really thought about there being any genetic link to cancer until I was diagnosed.

“I had been taken into a family room and I mentioned that my mother had been through breast cancer and they suggested I get tested for the BRCA1 gene to see if it ran in the family.

“My concern was for my two sons because if I had it, then they might have it as well. Men are capable of developing breast cancer as well so this was a worry.

“Fortunately for them and me I do not carry the gene. It was just one of those things.”

Mrs Mitchell and her mother believe her great-grandmother, who died at the age of 50, may also have had breast cancer.

She said: “My husband has been my rock throughout this but my mum has also given me a lot of support.

“When I’m feeling vulnerable or low I know I can always talk to her because she understands what I am going through.”

Mrs Mitchell is determined to carry on working as much as she can and her husband and sons Sidney, 20, and Albert, 17, help with that.

She said: “I have my moments of course, I’m not superwoman.

“I was opening presents at Christmas and it flashed through my mind – what’s the point – I could be dead by summer.

“But I don’t allow myself to be sad for long and doing the Facebook posts gives me something to think about and plan for when I’m not working.

“Albert is a hairdresser and when he knew I was going to lose my hair, he styled it shorter and shorter over the weeks before finally shaving it off. And then I shaved his and Sidney’s.

“Terry is already bald so we were all matching!”

Mrs Mitchell is determined to keep looking to the future and looking forward to getting life back to normal again but in the meantime she and her family are backing today’s World Cancer Day.

They are calling on people across Sussex to buy the special unity bands available to help boost funds.

Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer Care, Anthony Nolan and the Movember Foundation have joined forces for the event.

Together, their aim is to unite the nation and help transform the lives of millions of people affected by the disease.

Collectively the charities work to prevent, detect, treat and support those affected by cancer.

The World Cancer Day Unity Bands are available in a different colour for each of the four charities.

Cancer Research UK Sussex spokeswoman Lynn Daly said: “World Cancer Day is an opportunity for people to unite and show that together we can do something about cancer.

“So many of us have been affected by the disease, which is why we’re calling on people to wear their Unity Band with pride.

“Stories like Cara’s would not be possible without the commitment of our amazing supporters, who fund each charity’s individual work into the prevention, detection, treatment and support of those with cancer.

“So whatever your motivation - remembering a loved one, celebrating people who have overcome the disease, or rallying in support of those going through treatment - World Cancer Day is a chance to get involved and help reduce the impact of cancer on future generations.”

Supporters can pick up a Unity Band at www.worldcancerday.co.uk for a suggested donation of £2.