![\"Danielle](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0_Danielle-McDermott-breast-cancer-diagnosis-pic-2jpeg.jpg\")
Danielle McDermott with her daughter Hollie(Image: Danielle McDermott)<\/p>\n“I was thinking, am I going to be here to see her grow up? That was my worst fear.”<\/p>\n
18:17, 05 Jun 2025Updated 18:18, 05 Jun 2025<\/p>\n
Danielle McDermott with her daughter Hollie(Image: Danielle McDermott)<\/p>\n
A mum faced her “worst fear\u201d as she wondered if she would live to see her daughter grow up. Danielle McDermott, now 41, from Kirkby<\/a>, first noticed a lump near her nipple at age 35.<\/p>\n Although a nurse initially reassured her, further tests revealed she had breast cancer following a mammogram. The spotlight on younger people with breast cancer has intensified this week after singer Jessie J shared her own diagnosis of \u201cearly breast cancer\u201d at 37.<\/p>\n Cases like Danielle\u2019s and Jessie\u2019s remain uncommon; according to the NHS, around 80% of breast cancer diagnoses occur in people over 50, while fewer than 5% affect those under 40.<\/p>\n Around 10 months before her diagnosis in November 2018, Danielle, who worked at Aintree University Hospital, says she had a \u201cvision\u201d that she had breast cancer, which prompted her concerns. She told the ECHO<\/a>: \u201dI automatically started looking towards the left breast.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was sore around the areola. It was quite stinging. I had soreness around the breast, but you can get that through periods anyway. 10 months later, I felt a lump in the areola. My mum and I went to the GP, and the next day I was in a clinic.<\/p>\n \u201cThe nurse said she wasn\u2019t worried but said they would send me for a mammogram anyway. That’s when it was confirmed it was breast cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n Danielle found the news tough to take at first and worried for her daughter, Hollie. She said: “I\u2019d just won employee of the year. I was on a massive high, and four days later I was diagnosed.<\/p>\n \u201cMy whole world came crashing down. My daughter was seven at the time. For me to be diagnosed with breast cancer with a little girl, I was thinking, am I going to be here to see her grow up? That was my worst fear.<\/p>\n Danielle started chemotherapy in January 2019, which took its toll on her. She said: \u201cIt caused fatigue and peripheral neuropathy, which is a swelling of the abdomen.<\/p>\n \u201cMy taste buds went too, so I was struggling to eat and drink. The worst thing was the pain I had going through my body. I was unable to hold things in my hands; that\u2019s how bad it was.\u201d<\/p>\n Danielle is now cancer-free and praised the \u201cfantastic\u201d treatment she received at the Marina Dalglish Centre in Aintree<\/a> Hospital.<\/p>\n The news about Jessie J emphasises the importance of checking for symptoms and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She said: \u201cIt\u2019s absolutely horrendous. She\u2019s also got a young son, so it\u2019s such a big blow.<\/p>\n \u201cAs women, we need to be checking our breasts. Anyone who\u2019s had cancer treatment needs to exercise because that can reduce the risk of recurrence in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Danielle was still affected by fatigue after her treatment finished, she found the psychological impact of what she had gone through far more severe.<\/p>\n Danielle said: \u201cThe trauma of hair loss was a massive thing for me. You start to lose your femininity as a woman. It took me about five years to recover physiologically. I ended up having a breakdown two and a half years post-treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cI worked in the NHS, and the psychological impact was too much. I was dealing with terminal cancer on a daily basis. I had to take time out, sell my house, move back in with my parents, and build my life back up again.<\/p>\n Danielle is in a far better place now. She works as a personal trainer for the UTS Foundation. Based in Hoylake<\/a>, it offers fitness and wellbeing sessions to support cancer rehabilitation, good mental health, improved nutrition, and addressing isolation.<\/p>\n The job has helped Danielle recover physically and mentally from. She said: \u201cI got a lot of support from the people at Aintree. I felt very lucky to be there.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I started exercising, and that has been the best thing for me. I still struggle with fatigue now. I have bouts of fatigue, and I still suffer with pain in my hands and feet.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the one thing that’s helped me through in my recovery is exercise. Exercise helps build your confidence back into life and gives you the strength to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI’m a cancer rehabilitation specialist in the UTS Foundation. From my own personal journey, I’m able to support other people going through the same thing. I absolutely love it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe benefits are massive for people who\u2019ve gone through treatments. They get to engage with other cancer patients in a positive environment.\u201d<\/p>\n Danielle is keen to emphasise that a fulfilling and rewarding life is possible after a cancer diagnosis. She said: \u201cI feel proud of my achievements.<\/p>\n \u201cCancer changes your view of life. We want to show people what you can still do and give them hope.\u201d<\/p>\n Danielle and others at UTS are taking part in the 2025 Wirral<\/a> Bikeathon on Sunday, June 8. All money raised will go towards providing 12 weeks of free exercise for cancer patients. You can find out more here.<\/a><\/p>\n You can use sites such as Breast Cancer Now for advice on symptoms and signs and how to examine yourself. If you are worried, you should speak to a healthcare professional. Often the appropriate advice is reassurance or appropriate review, not necessarily referral for investigations or tests.<\/p>\n![\"Danielle](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0_Danielle-McDermott-breast-cancer-diagnosis-pic-3jpeg.jpg\")
Danielle during her treatment(Image: Danielle McDermott)<\/p>\n