These sisters were both diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks apart – but they didn’t let it stop them!
- Replies 2
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is perhaps one of the most difficult situations a person can find themselves in.
For these two sisters, one sister's diagnosis may well have saved the other’s life.
Margaret Cunningham, a 46-year-old resident of Brisbane, found out in August 2020 that she had lobular breast cancer.
While getting dressed one day, she found one breast looking a bit different than the other which led her to visit her doctor.
After her shock diagnosis, Margaret wasted no time warning her family of her condition as cancer tends to also occur among family members due to factors like genes, environment, and lifestyle.
Mere weeks later, her older sister Aisling was informed she had it too — a more common form called invasive ductal carcinoma.
Aisling (top left) and Margaret (top right) battled cancer while being full-time mothers. Credit: dailymail.co.uk/Aisling and Margaret Cunningham
Despite their serious condition, the two sisters — also single mums who live next door to each other — found a silver lining.
'When Margaret was doing her chemotherapy, I was having surgery, and when I was doing my chemotherapy she had her surgery, so we were able to be there for each other and be there for the kids,' Aisling said.
Since the sisters first shared their story two years ago, the challenges have been numerous.
Margaret has since had her hips replaced after they weakened and eventually collapsed over intensive rounds of chemotherapy. She first felt pain in her hip area but chalked it to the usual pain of cancer treatment.
When the pain became unbearable, Margaret underwent a scan and was found to be suffering from avascular necrosis, which is the death of bone tissue over inadequate blood supply.
Ever the optimist, Margaret said: ‘I was so relieved it was something else and not cancer.’
Thankfully, she shared she was on the road to recovery and was starting to ‘feel okay, even normal’.
Meanwhile, Aisling, in addition to having both breasts removed, decided to have her ovaries taken out due to struggling with the monthly return for hormone-blocking injections that were part of their cancer treatments.
'It went really well, and has been so good for me because I now feel like less of a patient, in fact, I am feeling really well,’ she said.
With things looking up for the sisters, they are now looking to get their lives back on track.
Aisling shared she’s been trying out yoga as part of efforts to get her strength and fitness to normal.
'Most people don't realise you lose a lot of arm strength during a double mastectomy, especially when they take a lot of lymph nodes out,' she explained.
Margaret for her part has quit her job of 14 years to focus on a business venture with her sister called Lula Eye Mask.
'We do all of our work from home, moving from one house to the other,' Aisling said.
'We have both been through cancer and understand the side effects and can take up the slack if the other needs a break.'
Aisling and Margaret are now heading toward their first Christmas in a long time with no health complications.
The long and arduous journey of the two is also not lost on other breast cancer survivors.
'People share their stories with us and they are so heartwarming, I try to respond to everyone but sometimes it takes a few days to find the right words,' Aisling said.
'We are so proud to be able to remind women to take a few moments for self-care...self-care is so important, whether you are sick or not.'
Australian government estimates expect breast cancer to still be the second most common form of the disease in Australians with over 20,000 cases expected this year in total. In women there is a 13% (1 out of 8) chance of diagnosis by the age of 85.
Usual symptoms include a lump in the breast or armpit area, unusual discharge, any change in the size of the breasts, and pain in any part of the breast.
We strongly encourage immediately consulting a doctor if you notice anything amiss in your breast area. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer is 100% on average.
There are also groups like the Breast Cancer Network Australia that can offer support to those diagnosed.
Source: Facebook/Lula Eye Mask
What can you say of Margaret and Aisling’s journey? Do you know of any other inspiring stories like theirs?
Share them with us in the comments section below!
For these two sisters, one sister's diagnosis may well have saved the other’s life.
Margaret Cunningham, a 46-year-old resident of Brisbane, found out in August 2020 that she had lobular breast cancer.
While getting dressed one day, she found one breast looking a bit different than the other which led her to visit her doctor.
After her shock diagnosis, Margaret wasted no time warning her family of her condition as cancer tends to also occur among family members due to factors like genes, environment, and lifestyle.
Mere weeks later, her older sister Aisling was informed she had it too — a more common form called invasive ductal carcinoma.
Aisling (top left) and Margaret (top right) battled cancer while being full-time mothers. Credit: dailymail.co.uk/Aisling and Margaret Cunningham
Despite their serious condition, the two sisters — also single mums who live next door to each other — found a silver lining.
'When Margaret was doing her chemotherapy, I was having surgery, and when I was doing my chemotherapy she had her surgery, so we were able to be there for each other and be there for the kids,' Aisling said.
Since the sisters first shared their story two years ago, the challenges have been numerous.
Margaret has since had her hips replaced after they weakened and eventually collapsed over intensive rounds of chemotherapy. She first felt pain in her hip area but chalked it to the usual pain of cancer treatment.
When the pain became unbearable, Margaret underwent a scan and was found to be suffering from avascular necrosis, which is the death of bone tissue over inadequate blood supply.
Ever the optimist, Margaret said: ‘I was so relieved it was something else and not cancer.’
Thankfully, she shared she was on the road to recovery and was starting to ‘feel okay, even normal’.
Meanwhile, Aisling, in addition to having both breasts removed, decided to have her ovaries taken out due to struggling with the monthly return for hormone-blocking injections that were part of their cancer treatments.
'It went really well, and has been so good for me because I now feel like less of a patient, in fact, I am feeling really well,’ she said.
With things looking up for the sisters, they are now looking to get their lives back on track.
Aisling shared she’s been trying out yoga as part of efforts to get her strength and fitness to normal.
'Most people don't realise you lose a lot of arm strength during a double mastectomy, especially when they take a lot of lymph nodes out,' she explained.
Margaret for her part has quit her job of 14 years to focus on a business venture with her sister called Lula Eye Mask.
'We do all of our work from home, moving from one house to the other,' Aisling said.
'We have both been through cancer and understand the side effects and can take up the slack if the other needs a break.'
Aisling and Margaret are now heading toward their first Christmas in a long time with no health complications.
The long and arduous journey of the two is also not lost on other breast cancer survivors.
'People share their stories with us and they are so heartwarming, I try to respond to everyone but sometimes it takes a few days to find the right words,' Aisling said.
'We are so proud to be able to remind women to take a few moments for self-care...self-care is so important, whether you are sick or not.'
Australian government estimates expect breast cancer to still be the second most common form of the disease in Australians with over 20,000 cases expected this year in total. In women there is a 13% (1 out of 8) chance of diagnosis by the age of 85.
Usual symptoms include a lump in the breast or armpit area, unusual discharge, any change in the size of the breasts, and pain in any part of the breast.
We strongly encourage immediately consulting a doctor if you notice anything amiss in your breast area. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer is 100% on average.
There are also groups like the Breast Cancer Network Australia that can offer support to those diagnosed.
Source: Facebook/Lula Eye Mask
What can you say of Margaret and Aisling’s journey? Do you know of any other inspiring stories like theirs?
Share them with us in the comments section below!
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