Mother Who Ignored Lump for Nearly Eight Months Says Breast Cancer Diagnosis During Pregnancy ‘Saved’ Her
A mother who ignored a pea-sized lump in her breast for almost eight months before contacting her GP believes that being diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant ultimately “saved” her life. Now cancer-free, she is expecting her second child, due next month.
Sarah Boyd, 33, who works at Stobo Castle and lives in the Scottish Borders, first noticed a small lump on the side of her right breast in January 2020.
As the fifth generation in her family to carry a faulty BRCA gene — which significantly increases the risk of developing certain cancers — Sarah said she strongly suspected the lump was breast cancer. However, fear stopped her from seeking medical advice.
“I’m the taboo that’s not really spoken about because I had a lump for a really long time and never dealt with it,” she said. “For me, it wasn’t a case of, ‘Today I found a lump and today I’m phoning the doctors.’ I waited almost eight months.”

It wasn’t until she became pregnant and later noticed a concerning brown discharge from her right nipple that she finally called her GP on August 5, 2020.
She was referred for further tests at Borders General Hospital on August 20, when she was 19 weeks pregnant. An ultrasound revealed devastating news. While examining her, the consultant shook his head and said: “It’s not good.”
Although a biopsy was still needed for confirmation, doctors told Sarah the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. Results later confirmed she had triple negative breast cancer and a 5.5cm tumour. She would need chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.
“The hardest part was telling my mum,” Sarah recalled. “My parents drove 40 minutes to the hospital. We ran towards each other in the car park and fell onto the grass. I couldn’t stand up.”
At 15 weeks pregnant when she first contacted her GP, Sarah and her partner Harry, 35, a gym manager, feared they might have to terminate the pregnancy. But doctors reassured them that their baby was protected by the placenta and that treatment could continue safely during pregnancy.
“I didn’t know what might happen to me or the baby,” she said. “But being told I could have treatment and stay pregnant was amazing.”
Sarah began chemotherapy on September 16, receiving treatment every three weeks and later weekly sessions, continuing until December 20, when she paused to give birth.
Despite losing her hair and battling dark thoughts — including fears she might not survive — she found comfort in journaling, often writing messages to her unborn baby in case she would not be there in the future.
“I journaled to talk to the baby, explaining what we were doing and what was happening, just in case I wasn’t here,” she said.
On January 5, 2021, she gave birth to her healthy son, Oscar. Chemotherapy resumed on January 29, and she completed treatment on February 23.
“When Oscar was born, I couldn’t believe how healthy he was,” she said. “He didn’t have horns or an extra limb — all the things I irrationally feared because of chemotherapy.
“Oscar will always have that ‘me and you went through that’ bond. I truly believe being pregnant saved me.”
Sarah later underwent a single mastectomy and reconstruction of her right breast on April 27, followed by 15 rounds of radiotherapy beginning May 27. After completing treatment in June, she was given the all-clear in August 2021.

In June 2022, she chose to have a preventative mastectomy on her left breast and is planning a future hysterectomy to further reduce the risk of recurrence.
Reflecting on her experience — which unfolded during the Covid pandemic — Sarah said processing everything afterward was one of the hardest parts.
“When you’re going through it, you’re just being snowploughed,” she explained. “You don’t really digest it until it’s over. Sometimes finishing treatment is harder because you finally slow down and process what’s happened.”
Now pregnant with her second child, Sarah says she feels incredibly fortunate.
“I just felt so lucky that my body accepted the drugs that were meant to make me better — and they did,” she said.
Her partner recently surprised her with a baby shower in London, and the couple hope to travel abroad next year with their growing family, embracing their love of adventure.
While she struggles to explain why she delayed seeking help, Sarah urges others not to ignore symptoms.
“For me, it could have been a much shorter journey. There are so many ‘what ifs,’” she said. “Hindsight can destroy you, but I feel lucky I got through it.
“I hope people are encouraged to get symptoms checked. The sooner you deal with something, the better your chances.”