It is a form of self-care; brush your teeth, touch your breasts!

What People Don’t Tell You About Breast Cancer: In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re talking to people who have been affected by the disease, from a survivor to a widower, and a fundraiser. Meet the third in our series, Dr Zoe Williams, who talks about the importance of women not being afraid to check themselves and visit their GP. She herself is a GP and resident on ITV’s This Morning and an ambassador for the Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Campaign.

I knew I wanted to be a doctor from the age of three, when my grandmother bought me a toy kit with a stethoscope. She had trained as a nurse and midwife after coming to the UK from Jamaica, and was my early inspiration to work in healthcare.

I have not personally been affected by breast cancer, but through my work as a GP I have met many patients who have undergone treatment. This has included people living in social deprivation, which has made me very passionate about health inequalities. People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds not only have poorer health, but have more difficulty accessing health care and therefore have worse outcomes. Anything I can do to close that gap is important, so when we go to Parliament and talk to ministers as part of the Estée Lauder Companies’ campaign work, I make sure I’m representing these groups at the table. I do not allow us to forget that some people do not have a voice.

For anyone dealing with a diagnosis, my advice would be: don’t be afraid of the information. Knowledge is power, always. So don’t be afraid to talk about it and ask questions. Breast cancer patients often feel the need to protect their loved ones, which unfortunately means they don’t talk about it, even with those closest to them, because they don’t want to upset their parents, children or other relatives. Kids can always tell when something is wrong, so it’s best to be honest.

And there’s plenty of help and support, so you don’t feel like it’s all up to you. Whether it’s information from a doctor or a specialist nurse, whether it’s reaching out to online support groups or getting support from your friends, family or boss. Allow them to support you and let them know what they can do to help. People shouldn’t feel isolated going through breast cancer treatment, but many do, and it breaks my heart to hear these stories. In today’s world, this should not happen.

As a GP, I only have 10 minutes with each patient, but that is sometimes enough to make a real impact on their lives. I love that my work helps me reach a large number of people, whether it’s on television or writing a column in a newspaper. Even if only a small proportion of people take my advice and check their breasts, make that appointment, exercise, change to a healthier diet or try to quit smoking, it can be really impactful.

About 44% of women do not regularly check their breasts. This statistic really surprised me. This number is even higher for women in the black community or younger women. It is so important to get the message out that if caught early, this disease is now truly treatable. It is so important that we all know our own bodies.

Some people are so afraid to go to their GP, especially for something as emotional as a breast lump. I want people to know that a big part of our job is to provide peace of mind. Most breast lumps are nothing to worry about. Even if your GP refers you to be evaluated at a specialist breast clinic, more than 90 per cent of these referrals are not cancer. So, if you live in fear of it, the only way to get rid of that fear is to get yourself checked.

Another thing that keeps people from checking their breasts is the worry that they are doing it the wrong way. While there are resources online to show you how to do this, it’s really just a matter of getting used to how your breasts feel so that if anything changes, you’ll notice. Take the pressure off, just try it. Your body is yours. It’s amazing, and it’s your responsibility to take care of it. Self-control is such an important part of self-care.

Some people even think it’s a little rude to touch their own breasts. But you have more right to touch and look at your body than anyone else on this planet. It is a form of self-care; brush your teeth, touch your breasts!

What do people not tell you about breast cancer?

A diagnosis can be isolating; even more so if you are from certain cultural backgrounds. In black and South Asian communities, there can be shame and stigma around talking about cancer. Which is not helped by the lack of support for people of color, when it comes to things like finding suitable wigs or prosthetics during treatment.

As told to Rosamund Dean

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