A breast cancer survivor diagnosed after seeing another woman talk about her own symptoms on TV has finally met her to say “thank you.”
Rosie Coke, 45, was inspired to get checked when she saw Rebecca Hartley, 47, talking about her own early symptoms on daytime TV.
She went to the doctor the next day after experiencing a pulling-pain in her breast and was diagnosed with stage two cancer.
Rosie is now in remission after having surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and was able to thank Rebecca after she surprised her during a local radio interview.
Mom-of-three Rosie said: “I wouldn’t have gone to the doctors as there was nothing that told me anything was wrong apart from that pain.
“But I didn’t know there was anything wrong with the pain until she said what she said on TV and it all clicked into place. I’ve literally had a second chance at life.
“It’s just astounding, but you don’t think you would ever get the chance to thank the person who saved your life, if you don’t know them.
“I never thought I would meet the person who made me go and get checked out. If I live to 100, then nothing will ever top how special it was.
“I think me and Rebecca are going to be good friends and soon she will meet all the people who rely on me, because she has also had an impact on them.
“It’s just not one person who you save, you save families, colleagues and so many people. I’m still pinching myself.”
Rosie was getting ready for a funeral in August last year and had the TV on in the background, but wasn’t paying that much attention to it.
She had previously experienced a pulling-pain in her breast, which she had ignored, but looked up when she heard Rebecca say it was a symptom of cancer.
Rosie then promised herself that if she experienced the pain again, she would go to the doctors and she felt it again while she was at the funeral service.
The social housing manager was then diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, which made her “whole life in 60 seconds” flash before her eyes.
Rosie, of Hemel Hempstead, Herts., said: “I didn’t really believe it was something as serious as that.
“Even on the day of the scan in the waiting room, I treated it as if it was a routine smear test.
“But I’ll never forget when they said it wasn’t looking good and I burst into tears – my whole life in 60 seconds flashed before me.
“Everything hit me.
“But my mom was in the waiting room and I had to give my mom that news and that hit me – her face was a picture and time stood still.
“I had to tell my children as I couldn’t keep this from them so it was having to re-deliver that news to them.”
Rosie had six months of chemotherapy, a single mastectomy and reconstruction and radiotherapy and still has physiotherapy.
She’s now been given the all-clear in April this year, but may need more surgery in the future.
Rosie said: “I literally collapsed on the floor.
“It’s like a race that you are running but you don’t know where the finish line is but then you just reach it.
“I’m so pleased that my struggle is not in vain.”
Rebecca was diagnosed with breast cancer after experiencing the same pulling sensation and finding a lump.
The mom-of-one then had a double mastectomy and 18 weeks of chemotherapy and was later declared cancer-free.
She is now encouraging other people who have symptoms to get checked out as she knows how “scary” the process can be.
Rebecca said: “Both Rosie and I were diagnosed purely through a symptom and we are lucky to have that because if not, we wouldn’t have known.
“In terms of someone who has got a lump, I think it can be really scary.
“When I found out I had breast cancer, I thought I wasn’t going to live and that I would lose my hair because I didn’t know much about the process.
“But the reality is, if you catch breast cancer early then the chances of survival are great.
“It’s nothing to be afraid of and the longer you leave it, means there is less chance of survival.”
Rebecca said she she “burst into tears” when she found out about how she has impacted Rosie’s life.
She said: “It was a bit of a shock as you never expect to hear how it’s impacted someone’s life.
“I think I burst into tears.
“It’s amazing – what if Rosie wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t heard about my story?
“It’s just an incredible story.”
Nikki Barraclough, chief executive of Prevent Breast Cancer said: “It’s been a privilege to watch Rebecca and Rosie connect with each other and see the real-life impact that sharing stories about breast cancer can have.
“I’m a huge advocate for talking about this disease, making sure that every woman knows the signs and symptoms and can advocate for themselves to seek help when they need it.
“I’m so grateful to our inspirational ambassador Rebecca for speaking so openly about her own experience of breast cancer.
“It’s thanks to her and others like her that we can reach women like Rosie, and potentially save a life.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
