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Breast Cancer Stories | Shevelle Copeland-Kelly, 30
Posted by Claire Boote, on October 23, 2020.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
Shevelle Copeland-Kelly, 30
Shevelle Copeland-Kelly, at just 28, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Dismissed as being “too young”, Shevelle never expected to be told of her positive diagnosis.
Set to fly out to Dubai with her girlfriends, Shevelle casually held her arm aloft and stroked underneath her breast, only to find a pea-sized lump. The next day, Shevelle called her GP who provided a referral, despite her young age.
Post-trip, Shevelle returned to hospital for an ultrasound, only to once again be reassured that there was little concern, considering her age. The ultrasound and a biopsy were conducted and the results, just one week later, returned: positive for breast cancer.
From that point forward, Shevelle underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy followed by a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Chemotherapy resulted in extreme fatigue and a loss of taste but, the treatments resulted in a positive prognosis moving forward.
Yet the mental and emotional strains of experiencing breast cancer remained. With a stiff upper lip, Shevelle found it difficult to express her true emotions to friends during her procedures. Despite attempting to stay positive, there were days when Shevelle just wanted to release her emotions due to sheer disbelief.
Despite the sadness of being isolated from her peers, Shevelle states: “[Breast cancer] has made me so much more resilient and grateful for life. I look at happiness as a state of mind and something I chose to be. I no longer look for the ‘perfect’ life; I just want to enjoy life day-by-day because you never know what tomorrow may bring.”
And to those facing test results or concerns about their breasts, Shevelle adds: “Never underestimate yourself. You know your body best so, if you feel concerned, go and check it out and don’t stop until you get the right response.
“Know that you are in charge of your own health. The journey can be extremely lonely and tough at times, but there are many services out there to support you, you just have to have an open mind and be willing to engage, because you are definitely not alone on this journey.”
