I didn't think it would be anything sinister because of my age... I was wrong

A woman in her 20s says she thought she was "too young" to be diagnosed with cancer after finding a lump. Harriet Harrison, 24, was taking a shower when she found a lump in her breast which turned out to be malignant.

However, she says before her shock diagnosis she never expected “anything sinister” due to her age. "When I found the lump I was like 'oh god' what is it, but I didn't think it would be anything sinister because of my age and everyone else said the same," she said.

"I went to the doctors the day after I found it, they said it shouldn't be anything to worry about but they wanted to do a biopsy to make sure. It came back that there were cancer cells.

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"[When they told me] it felt like it wasn't real. I didn't know what to think but it was so scary and you just think the worst. It was a blur, it didn't sink in. It's only recently that I have got my head around it, it was nothing I expected to happen to me.

"Everyone was just so shocked, no one expected it to be cancer. It wasn't something we thought would happen".

Following the diagnosis, Harriet, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, attended appointments at Clatterbridge Hospital which included genetic testing to establish if there was a family history of breast cancer or if any of Harriet's family might be more likely to develop some form of cancer, the Liverpool Echo reports.

She said: "I had genetic testing done because of my age. It came back clear which was a relief but it made me question why me? It was just bad luck that it happened to me and the questions as to why I have it [cancer] hasn't been answered. Why did I get diagnosed?"

Harriet started chemotherapy in June this year and despite suffering with nausea and tiredness, she has kept a positive outlook on her treatment. She said: "I feel like you just have to be positive. Of course, there have been struggles but I wouldn't change it so I just had to try and get on with it and make the best out of it.

"In September I started a second lot of treatment which was a stronger chemotherapy and that was honestly horrendous. I have been in and out of hospital since I started it because of how poorly I've been.

"Everything has just been worse. I have lost hair on that treatment, all the side effects were much harder to deal with. I'm waiting now for surgery which will be at the end of this month to remove what is left of the tumour, then I will have radiotherapy.

"I'm just glad that chemo is done and I can kind of get back to being myself and make my body feel normal again because for the last six months I've not felt myself. I just want to look like myself again. I'm excited to put this all behind me and move on with my life."

Harriet, who has been supported by her boyfriend, Nick, 24, who she met over two years ago, wants to use her journey to inspire others to keep a positive outlook when suffering cancer. She said: "When I was first diagnosed someone said the best medicine is positivity and it stuck with me. I would say it to other people because it has helped me.

"Some days it's so hard to be positive but it does help if you are. I have been lucky with my support, I have all my family, friends and boyfriend Nick beside me."