A North Belfast mum who has been told she only has months left to live is hoping to have a 40th birthday party to remember surrounded by her friends and family.
For more than two years Louise Chettle has been undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2020. Sadly though these have not proven to be successful and in January of this year the mum of one was told that she only had six months left to live.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Louise said that she is hoping to raise awareness to other women about the dangers of breast cancer at a young age, as it can prove to be more aggressive.
Read more: NI mum tattooing nipples on to women who have battled breast cancer
She said: "I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer when I was 37 and noticed a small lump. It was something that I normally would have maybe ignored but after getting it checked out I was given the devastating news that it was cancerous.
"Metastatic or secondary breast cancer is different to primary breast cancer. Once it has spread, it’s incurable, and treatment is purely palliative. My cancer is classed as de novo because it had already spread upon first diagnosis.
"Since then I have been through a range of different treatments and trials, which includes two and a half years of chemotherapy, trying six different types of it, but nothing has been successful and early this year I was told that I only have months left.
"It has been hard to come to terms with everything that has happened, but I want to stress how important it is to have any concerns or lumps checked by the doctor, because while breast cancers are not as common in younger women they can be more aggressive and harder to treat.
"This cancer came to me out of the blue when I felt that I was perfectly healthy and after going through my treatment I have seen just how many people are impacted by it every year. I just hope that by raising awareness it will encourage others to have a check-up or test that they may have ignored."
While still going through chemotherapy, Louise has been focusing on making memories with her husband Simon and four-year-old daughter Sophie and hopes to have a special celebration at Belfast Castle in June with family and friends to mark her 40th birthday.
She continued: "The past couple of years have been very tough on our family, but Simon has been my rock throughout everything and he and Sophie have kept me going.
"I was diagnosed a year after she was born so her mum being sick is all that she has really known and making memories with her, Simon and my family is the most important thing for me now. I have created an Instagram page called lovetosophie, where I have been documenting all of our memories together.
"In June I am planning to have a special 40th birthday party with all of my friends and family at Belfast Castle, where I am hoping we can have a wonderful night of fun and dancing that they can remember forever.
"I am very thankful to everyone who has donated to my fundraiser for it, as I didn't want to add any more financial pressure onto my family, and I am very grateful that we have been able to get more than the target and plan to use anything extra to help Sophie's future and make more memories together."
If you would like to donate to Louise's fundraiser please follow this link.
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