Stay Vigilant About Breast Cancer And Act Before It’s Too Late

The petite blonde girl before me struggled to contain her emotions. “I’m on the verge of tears, but I can’t let them ruin my makeup,” she confessed. Little did she know, behind the camera, I too fought to maintain composure. It had been an emotionally charged day, and as we approached the end of the shoot, the weight of our accomplishments sank in, threatening to overwhelm us both. Let me elaborate…

I first crossed paths with Sheryl over two years ago when she hired us for her wedding photography. Initially, she hadn’t planned to have a photographer, not due to cost but because it didn’t rank high on her list of wedding priorities. Her wedding was set for late July, meticulously arranged with 12 bridesmaids, a serene civil ceremony in York register office, followed by a reception at the Dean Court hotel near the Minster, and an evening celebration aboard a boat along the River Ouse. What could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, fate had other plans, dealing her a double blow that would alter her life forever.

Tragically, Sheryl’s beloved father was battling terminal cancer. The prognosis dimmed any hope of him witnessing her wedding. Amidst grappling with this reality, Sheryl scarcely noticed the lump in her breast. In her early thirties, she brushed it off, assuming it was nothing serious. With wedding preparations consuming her, she delayed seeing a doctor. When she finally did, the news was devastating – she had breast cancer. The lump was cancerous, leading to an urgent lumpectomy, followed by a mastectomy just three weeks before her wedding.

Suddenly, life took an abrupt turn for Sheryl. Confronting her mortality, her perspective shifted, making capturing the joy of her wedding day a top priority. Entrusted with preserving these cherished memories, we embarked on this responsibility. It was an honor to spend such a day with Sheryl and her family, witnessing their resilience and unity. Those photographs hold a special place in our collection.

As breast cancer awareness grows in the UK, I’ve convinced Sheryl to share her journey firsthand, detailing the harrowing initial months and her reflections on facing mortality head-on. She’s an extraordinary woman, and her story is bound to inspire and uplift those grappling with similar challenges.

“It was a mundane Thursday afternoon in February. I juggled work with a looming hospital appointment at 3:20 pm. An inconvenience, really. I reassured the childminder I might be late. Test results awaited me, likely just a cyst. After all, I’m in my early thirties; it couldn’t be anything serious.

I first noticed the small lump in October. Newly in love and shedding a few pounds, I dismissed it. By November, it persisted, but with the holiday rush, I postponed seeing a doctor. December came and went amidst Christmas chaos. I promised myself I’d go in January. As January rolled in, the allure of winter sun distracted me. February arrived, and there I sat, tapping my foot impatiently outside the doctor’s office, mindful of my responsibilities as a mother and partner.

“Sheryl, would you like to come through?” Finally, I sat down, eager for a quick resolution. But then, the words shattered my world: ‘cancer cells.’ The nurse’s solemn nod confirmed the grim reality.

But…I’m young. But…I have two children. But…I’m getting married. But…I don’t smoke. But…I’m healthy.

The numbness then set in, and I don’t remember much after that, I was given some appointments and the operating day was fixed, and then went home and made the kids tea. The lumpectomy was preformed and it was ok nothing too scary, I was in and out in a couple of days, I didn’t have cancer, I kept telling myself because obviously I was too young, didn’t smoke and was healthy and my life was too busy for cancer. After 2 weeks my results from the lumpectomy came back, there I was again in the same office as last time, still getting impatient cause I had stuff to do, Sheryl. I’m sorry… oh no them words again, I’ve heard this line, what now…

I’m sorry but we have found more cancer tumors within the lumpectomy, I need to advise you that you need a full mastectomy on your right breast, I turned to my left to look at the nurse, and again she was nodding. All my ‘Buts’ hadn’t worked, oh no this was real, I had breast cancer. “

Nearly two years later, Sheryl’s resilience shines through. Our bond formed during those dark days endures, as we’ve remained in touch, even photographing her friend’s wedding last year in Cyprus.

Sheryl expressed interest in one of our boudoir photo shoots, yet hesitated due to post-mastectomy confidence struggles. As a photographer, I aim to capture inner beauty, transcending surface appearances. With Sheryl, it was effortless. Her radiance shone through, and in some photos, the faint outline of her reconstructed cleavage subtly hints at her journey. Seeing these images marked a pivotal moment for Sheryl, laying to rest some of her inner demons.

The day of the shoot was the first time, since her surgery that Sheryl felt confident enough to  undress in front of her husband. That to me was such an achievement from such an emotional day. Sheryl has kindly agreed to allow us to use some of her words and tell her story in the hope that this difficult to talk about subject can be aired to a wider audience and someone, somewhere may just feel inspired and given renewed hope from her experience that there is life after breast cancer.