Hospital worker from Boston praises "life-saving" colleagues after receiving her own shock diagnosis

Cancer care co-ordinator Vicky Strange says her world was turned upside down in October last year when she discovered a lump in one of her breasts.

Looking back on her cancer journey, the mum-of two has now thanked colleagues at the hospital for not only saving her life, but also enabling her to continue supporting patients.

“I was getting ready to go on holiday when I found a lump in one of my breasts," Vicky recalls. “I knew I couldn’t ignore it and made a GP appointment for the following week when we returned."

A few days later, her GP put her on the two-week-wait pathway for a mammogram at Pilgrim.

“During the mammogram I was told they thought I had cancer,” she said. “But I also had to have some biopsies done so they could look at what was going on. A couple of weeks later I had an appointment at Pilgrim where I was told it was cancer and needed to have some more tests and biopsies.”

A couple of weeks before Christmas, Vicky underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery at Lincoln County Hospital.

“The amazing team managed to squeeze me in at Lincoln as there were no times available at Pilgrim," Vicky added. “My surgeons and everyone in the team were so amazing. I didn’t get any special treatment for working in the NHS, it is simply what this team does for all their patients. They always go the extra mile, and, in my mind, they are all superheroes.”

Vicky’s histology results were sent over to America. As she has no family history of breast cancer and there were no indicators in her genes, further tests were needed to look at the risk of reoccurrence and the best forms of treatment.

Vicky said: “That was the longest wait I experienced. Everyone’s cancer diagnosis and treatment are different. Thankfully I did not need chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but other tests showed there was still some cancer present, so I had another surgery in February this year.” 

Amazingly, Vicky returned to work just a few weeks later in April, with support from her fiancé, two daughters and colleagues in the Macmillan Cancer Care team.

Vicky said: “I am so grateful to be alive. Please don’t think I am simply being dramatic, but I know how time is so important and any delay can have a massive impact.”

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Community & Hospitals NHS Group, which has shared Vicky’s story, said: “Before her diagnosis, as part of her job, Vicky helped to set up the UK’s first ever Kidney Cancer Support Group in the East Midlands, as well as the Lincolnshire Prostate Cancer Support Group.”

“I knew I needed to come back to work as soon as possible,” Vicky added. “I really love my job and being able to support our patients living with cancer and their families is a real privilege. Nobody wants to have cancer, but I honestly believe I now have a better understanding and an insight into what our patients are going through. I now know what it is like to be waiting for that phone call. Nervous because you need to know the results, but then also worried in case it is bad news.

“All I can say is, please don’t ever delay making an appointment to get checked out. We are so lucky to have our NHS. It might not be perfect, but I can honestly say the care provided by my amazing and talented colleagues was second to none. They are absolutely brilliant.”

Vicky still needs to have physiotherapy to help with the movement in her arm.

“That is a small price to pay for being alive,” she adds. “I will never be able to thank the team enough for what they have given me. However, I also hope that by telling my story other people will check their breasts and contact their GP if they find any lumps or have any other symptoms. If this can help just one other person, then I am glad that I have told my story.”