A Stirling mum who has twice survived cancer is to take part in a charity fundraising skydive next month.
Sixty-year-old Lesley Tobin was first told she had cancer at the age of 24 and again nine years later when pregnant with daughter Gabriella.
Lesley’s sister Nicky, mum Yvonne and dad Michael all died from the disease and her son Joel and Gabriella are highly susceptible.
Joel (27) is in danger of breast and prostate cancer and 26-year-old Gabriella has had a double mastectomy because of her high risk of breast cancer.
The breast cancer (BRCA) gene has been passed down from Lesley’s dad rather than her mum, who was found to be negative.
Lesley’s skydive – set to take place on August 4 at Strathallan airfield – will help to raise money for breast cancer awareness charity CopaFeel!
Lesley, of Causewayhead, said: “Joel and Gaby chose to be tested in their teens and both turned out to be positive. I felt so guilty even though I knew it wasn’t my fault.
“I thought that the best thing to do was to try and be proactive, positive, constructive, raise funds, and talk about it to create awareness.
“This skydive will support my kids’ and Coppafeel’s efforts to raise awareness that anyone of any gender can get breast cancer but early detection will save lives.
“It saved mine twice. Coppafeel do fantastic and fun work, removing taboos surrounding male breast cancer, and encouraging teenagers/young adults to self-check.”
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Lesley, a scientific communications consultant, first found a lump in her breast aged 24 in the 1980s after having moved to Singapore to work.
She said: “I found the lump and went to a GP, who dismissed it, saying ‘It’s nothing. You’re too young’.
“I went to another GP for a second opinion. He removed the lump and the results showed it was invasive cancer. I was shocked, speechless and numb.
“It was only after being repatriated to the UK and having tests and treatment that I realised how lucky I was that it was detected and diagnosed early.
“I went back to Singapore to finish my contract and to tell the first GP not to dismiss breast lumps.”
On the second occasion Lesley was 33 years old and eight weeks’ pregnant with Gabriella.
She added: “I found a lump in the other breast. They thought it was a blocked milk duct, but I asked for it to be investigated. It showed signs of being cancer.
“I didn’t know whether I could live long enough to see the pregnancy through to a healthy birth and I had Joel, who was one at the time, so I was willing to do anything to survive.
“I had a mastectomy at week 14, and started treatment when Gaby was born. It was then that they mentioned that there may be something genetic going on, and the family testing began.”
Lesley said this week that she has mixed feelings about next month’s skydive.
She commented: “I’m really excited to be doing the skydive. As it gets closer, I’ll probably start to feel queasy and a bit scared, but it’s about working through the fears and overcoming them.
“I relate this to the fear that people feel, and I have felt, deep in their stomach when they check themselves, perhaps find an abnormality, and have to gather up the courage to go to a GP to talk about their fears and ask for further investigations.”
To contribute to Lesley’s fundraising, click here.
