Dawn Butler is candid about one of the most difficult parts of her cancer diagnosis: how to tell her loved ones without worrying about them.
The 52-year-old Labor MP has spoken candidly about it, revealing earlier this year that she thought she could die after receiving the news following a routine mammogram.
She is now partnering with Metro.co.uk to launch the A Million Missed Mammograms campaign to try and convince those who still have a screening to book one.
“You can survive breast cancer, and the sooner you find it, the better,” said the former minister.
Ms Butler has thankfully recovered, but she had to endure some incredibly difficult days underway.
In addition to the uncomfortable examination, surgery to remove cancer cells, and fears that her diagnosis would become more invasive, she also found herself struggling with something many may find relatively easy: telling her family, friends, and colleagues what she was going through.
The Brent Central MP told Metro: ‘It’s really hard to tell people. I had to find a way to – I tried different ways.
“Often the ones I told you fell to pieces, and you have to take care of them and deal with the fact that you have to deal with them.
‘Eventually I started conversations with: ‘I’m not dying, but I have bad news’. I found that was the best way to tell people the news.”
Mrs. Butler found out last November that she had breast cancer. At first she only told her partner and sister-in-law.
Her mother and sister both had their own battles with the disease and she didn’t want to worry them.
She eventually had to confide in her sister as she discussed their family’s medical history.
Mrs. Butler said, “It was tough. I calmed myself, started talking when she answered, then just collapsed.
“My sister started crying too, though she didn’t know why, because I couldn’t even get the words out.”
Then she told her mother the news around Christmas time – a holiday the MP had to skip while in isolation for her surgery in February.
“If I got Covid my surgery would be delayed and I didn’t want that,” Ms Butler said.
A million missed mammograms
After being diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine mammogram in November, Dawn Butler MP was grateful to find it had been detected early.
However, she found that a million women have missed their mammograms due to the pandemic, and an estimated 10,000 women are currently living with undetected breast cancer.
Determined to change that, Dawn launched a campaign with Metro.co.uk to get a million women to book their missed screenings.
If you’re inspired to do this after hearing Dawn’s story, let her know at her website, email us or use #FindTheMillion on social media.
Her office discovered it in the new year and on March 28th Mrs Butler told Parliament: about her struggle in a powerful speech, taking the opportunity to boost investment in the NHS.
She revealed the diagnosis in a public statement on social media in March, writing: “Everything stood still as it is when you hear the dreaded C-word – it’s a shock, but an early diagnosis means it’s something I’ll get.” through and over.’
The charity Breast Cancer Now estimates that there are currently one million women in the UK who have not gone for their mammogram screening.
If you are between the ages of 50 and 53, you will automatically be invited for a breast examination. After an initial scan, you will find an appointment every three years until your 71st.
Some operations still do this automatically for trans men and non-binary people, but if you haven’t heard from them, get in touch.
If you have complaints that you are concerned about, do not wait for a letter, but make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms include:
- A new lump or area of thickened tissue in both breasts that wasn’t there before
- A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- A discharge of fluid from one of your nipples
- A lump or swelling in one of your armpits
- A change in the look or feel of your skin, such as wrinkles or dimples,
- A rash or redness
- Skin rash (such as eczema), crusting, scaly or itchy skin, or redness on or around your nipple
- A change in the appearance of your nipple, such as sunken into your breast
Contact our news team by sending an email to: [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.