The news turned her life upside down. But doctors were able to dispel her fears of a terminal diagnosis, as Cheryl underwent three operations on her left breast. At the end she decided against having reconstruction surgery, accepting her scars. “This isn’t a reason to hide or feel ashamed,” the married mother of three declared.
Cheryl’s diagnosis was a shock to her whole family as well. From the start, she spoke openly and transparently about her illness and shared every stage of her treatment with her family and friends. All this helped her get through her ordeal, she said.
A breast cancer diagnosis in a patient’s early 40s is not unusual anymore these days, says CHL oncologist Dr Caroline Duhem. The number of new breast cancer diagnoses in women under the age of 50 has permanently increased over the last few years.
As part of Luxembourg’s national mammography programme, women aged 45-74 are invited for a free screening every two years. They are also encouraged to keep an eye on their body themselves, regularly checking their breasts for lumps and being aware of risk factors.
Around 80% of breast cancer patients recover these days, says Dr Duhem. Early diagnosis and intervention helps to increase a patient’s chances of survival.
Increasingly, doctors are trying not to use harsh chemotherapy treatments. Hormone therapies can be just as efficient and successful with far fewer side effects.
Cheryl’s treatment is based on this gentler therapy. She has to take pills daily for five years and receives a hormone injection every month. Since her last operation in March 2025, she also has had regularly physiotherapy.
While Cheryl and her family know they cannot yet speak of a full recovery, they know the worst is behind them. “I appreciate my life so much more now,” Cheryl says.
