Devoted mum and Monash Health Midwife, thirty-three-year-old Jamie Springer was looking forward to her last few months of maternity leave and spending time with her three-year-old, Frankie and one-year-old, Remi.
She never imagined she would be returning to her workplace as a patient.
As Reported by A Current Affair, Jamie noticed a lump in her left breast and a few days after bringing it up with her GP, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She was told to stop breastfeeding and prepare for breast cancer surgery to remove the 4.5-centimetre tumour. The initial diagnosis was hard to comprehend, but Jamie was quick to turn her emotions into action.
“Cuddles that I can’t have with my girls now hopefully translate into birthdays down the track,” says Jamie.
“I’m going to be here for them … and that’s really my driving force in the treatment going forward.”
After specialist appointments and counselling, Jamie decided to have a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery at Monash Health.
Jamie woke up to the great news that everything had gone well in surgery with doctors successful in removing all cancerous cells. She is now recovering at home, with upcoming test results determining what the rest of her treatment will look like.
She is grateful to have found the lump and made a visit to her doctor, and wants other women to learn from her story.
“I want them to check their breasts, and I want them to understand that they know their body, and to listen to that little voice in your head that’s telling you that something’s not right,” says Jamie.
“If you feel like there is something that you’ve been sitting on that a doctor needs to have a look at, reach out to someone who will go with you and make it less scary.”
Thank you, Jamie, for your courage in sharing your journey and important message.