A mum has told how she feared she may not see her "son grow up" after finding a lump while breastfeeding that turned out to be cancer.

Paula Glover, 46, was breastfeeding her then four-month-old son when she noticed a lump in her right breast. Initially, she thought it was a blocked milk duct, but with a family history of breast cancer, she went to her doctor to get it checked out. A needle biopsy and ultrasound came back inconclusive, so Paula underwent a full biopsy - and was later diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

Paula underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction - requiring no further treatment. Nine and a half years later, Paula found another lump between her right breast and her armpit - that she noticed while putting deodorant on.

She had the cancerous lump removed and was put on another round of chemotherapy, followed by 15 rounds of radiotherapy. Now Paula is cancer-free and requires no follow-ups with her doctors.

Paula, an occupational psychologist, from Camberley, Surrey, said: "My son was four-months-old when I was breastfeeding him and noticed a lump. I wasn't overly concerned, I thought it might be a blocked milk duct.

"The GP had thought it was most likely down to breastfeeding, but because of my family history, they ran some tests. When I was told it was cancerous, it really knocked me for six, even with my history - I didn't think it would be anything nasty."

After noticing the lump while breastfeeding her son, now 13, Paula was referred for a needle biopsy and ultrasound, but the results came back inconclusive. Paula then underwent a full biopsy in June 2012, at Firmley Park Hospital, and a month later was told she had triple-negative breast cancer.

She said: "It was very hard to hear, partly because I had a young baby, and I had no idea whether it had spread anywhere. At that point, I didn't know whether or not I would see my son grow up. My mum suffered with health anxiety related to cancer after her diagnosis. I had no idea how she would react to the news that I had cancer."

Paula underwent a full body scan to make sure the cancer had not spread - which came back clear. She then underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

Paula said: "When they did the reconstruction, they took out a lot of my lymph nodes where my breast cancer was. They cleared it all out, and that came out as non-cancerous. When they did the breast reconstruction, they gave me temporary implants to start with, and I underwent a final reconstruction in August.

"After that, doctors told me I was cancer free I was able to go home to my little boy." Sadly, nine and a half years later, in November 2021, Paula noticed a lump in her right armpit so went to get it checked out.

Paula went to her breast consultant, who performed an ultrasound and needle biopsy, and was told she would need to be sent for further imaging. "After nine years post-diagnosis, I didn't think it would be anything nasty," Paula said.

She went to Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, for an ultrasound on December 10, 2021, and was worried about the possible doctors diagnosis. Paula spoke to a Macmillan nurse who had told her sadly, the cancer had returned. She said: "It was the run up to Christmas, mid pandemic, and my son was nine years old at this point - he would know what was going on.

"I knew I was going to have to tell my family again, that was really hard." On January 21, 2022, Paula underwent surgery to remove two lumps of cancer that doctors had found.

Unfortunately, the doctor had missed a cancerous lump and told Paula she would need to postpone her chemotherapy to undergo another surgery. Paula said: "I decided to go ahead with the chemotherapy as it would be zapping away the cancer left in there anyway. I had six cycles of chemotherapy every three weeks.

"I had surgery to remove what they had missed the first time around, and the test showed that the chemotherapy had completely zapped the cancer." To be safe, Paula then underwent 15 rounds of radiotherapy on her right armpit starting in September 2022.

After the radiotherapy, Paula was told she was is cancer-free. Paula said: "My message to women is know your own body. If something isn't right you know to get it checked. Don't be afraid to question and challenge the doctor to get the right care for you." This October, Breast Cancer Now is partnering with Omaze to raise vital funds and awareness through its prize draw giving away a stunning house in Surrey.

'I ignored a lump while breastfeeding - then I learned the sinister truth' - The Mirror