'I never thought cancer would affect our family'

Chelsey Saunders is a senior assistant sleep physiologist for East Kent Hospitals University Trust

A mum who found a lump while breastfeeding her daughter is celebrating the end of her chemotherapy treatment and encouraging others to get checked.

Chelsey Saunders, 33, was diagnosed with high-grade aggressive breast cancer in March and her final dose of treatment was on Thursday at the Cathedral Day Unit at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

The Folkstone mother-of-three said: "When I found the lump I thought it was nothing, particularly because I was breastfeeding.

"But luckily I decided to go to the GP and they found another lump. I had no other symptoms that would make you think you needed to speak to someone."

Ms Saunders is encouraging others to speak to their GP if they have any concerning symptoms.

"There was a little swelling under my armpit that I thought was a reaction to having a cold," she said.

"I was also tired and had a bit of backache, but I put that down to being a busy working mum.

"Cancer is so much easier to treat if it is caught early so please don't put it off if you have any concerns."

Ms Saunders, a senior assistant sleep physiologist for East Kent Hospitals University Trust, will now have targeted antibody treatment in a bid to keep the cancer at bay.

She had received support from her sister Kayleigh Benson, who is a lung cancer support worker with the trust.

Ms Benson said: "I never thought cancer would happen to me or anyone in my family, but it did.

"Going through that experience with Chelsey has given me more insight to help my patients.

"I was empathetic before, but I never really knew how hard it was to go through chemo, and to feel like your life is falling apart."