I blamed back and shoulder pain on my mattress – I never imagined stage four cancer that had spread to my brain

WHEN Kimberley Anderson began suffering bone and shoulder aches, she thought little of it, blaming them on the old mattress she was sleeping on. But when the mum-of-one’s symptoms failed to subside and she developed such severe fatigue she needed to nap during the day and a loss of appetite, alarm bells started to ring. Kimberley initially blamed her back and shoulder pain on “sleeping on an old mattress” Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Pictured: Kimberley, 39, in hospital undergoing treatment Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media The 39-year-old had undergone gruelling treatment for stage three breast cancer years earlier after finding a lump in her left breast, but was given the all-clear in early 2021. Kimberley says that by 2023, she had “put cancer to the back of her mind”. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! However, despite buying a new mattress in the January sales her symptoms worsened and she attended A&E because she was experiencing pain in her neck so severe that it had become difficult for her to breathe or swallow. The nail tech, from Dundee in Scotland, was eventually referred for a CT scan in August 2023 which revealed she had a 5cm tumour in her neck. READ MORE ON BREAST CANCER In September, she then received a devastating diagnosis – her breast cancer had returned but was now stage four, meaning it had spread to other parts of her body – her chest wall, ovary, rib and adrenal gland. A “shocked” Kimberley underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment but received more heartbreaking news in July 2024 – the cancer had spread to her brain. After undergoing surgery to remove the cancer from her brain in September 2024, she continues taking chemotherapy tablets daily. She says her cancer is now “stable” and she’s seen no growth in the past year. Most read in Health Kimberley hopes the treatment will continue to work for as long as possible, and is keen to raise awareness of little known breast cancer signs that all women should know. Recalling her heartbreaking diagnosis, she said: “I was told in early 2021 that I was cancer free – after that I kind of forgot about cancer and put it to the back of my mind. Pictured, a scan showing Kimberley’s cancer had spread to her brain Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Kimberley was initially diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in October 2019 after finding a lump in her left breast while showering Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media “In 2023 I started feeling really fatigued, nauseous and I lost a lot of weight. “I was experiencing muscle aches and pains in my shoulders and in my back. “I thought I was just getting older, or my mattress was hurting my back. “It was an oldish mattress – I did actually go and buy a new mattress. “I went to the shop where you lie on the bed and it tells you what kind of mattress you need. “I was thinking ‘it must be me, I’m getting older’, I wasn’t thinking about cancer at all. “I was going to the gym – I was living a healthy lifestyle at the time. “I just didn’t really think the cancer would come back because I had been living quite healthily.” Speaking about her stage four diagnosis, Kimberley added: “It was an absolute shock because I really had put it [the cancer] behind me. “I thought that chapter of my life was closed and I didn’t want to think about it again. “I started crying and shouting for my partner to come through because I didn’t really know what to do or say.” In October 2023, Kimberley underwent five rounds of radiotherapy treatment to target the tumour in her neck, followed by 12 rounds of chemotherapy. While there is no cure for her breast cancer, Kimberley hopes the treatment will continue to stop the cancer from growing Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Signs of breast cancer and the importance of screenings Signs and symptoms of breast cancer include: A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit A change to the skin, such as puckering or dimpling A change in the colour of the breast – the breast may look darker, red or inflamed A nipple change, for example it has become pulled in (inverted) Rash or crusting around the nipple Unusual liquid (discharge) from either nipple Changes in size or shape of the breast On its own, pain in your breasts is not usually a sign of breast cancer. But look out for pain in your breast or armpit that’s there all or almost all the time. One million people are missing screenings Thousands of women may be living with undetected breast cancer after missing screening appointments. The NHS warned about a third of eligible patients did not accept the free test offer last year. Figures show that was just over one million people, and 2.2million have missed an appointment in the past three years. An estimated one in 100 women are diagnosed with cancer after screening. In 2023 there were 18,942 tumours detected out of 1.93million women screened for breast cancer, but a further 1.05m women who were invited did not attend. The one per cent detection rate means there were potentially 10,000 missed cases. Screening is generally offered to women every three years between the ages of 50 and 71, when their risk increases. Scans are carried out in local clinics and hospitals, as well as in roving scan vans in some places. Women who have had a mammogram should still check their breasts regularly. But less than a year later [July 2024], Kimberley received the devastating news that the cancer had spread to her brain. She underwent surgery to remove the tumour from her brain two months later [September 2024], and continues taking oral chemotherapy tablets daily. While there is no cure for her breast cancer, Kimberley hopes the treatment will continue to stop the cancer from growing. Kimberley said: “The cancer is still present but it’s completely stable, there has been no growth for over a year now. “I hope that I stay on this treatment for as long as possible. “When this one does stop working, I’ll move on to a different one and I think that will be my last treatment – I think that’s my last option. “I’m really hoping these tablets work for as long as they can. “The statistics before the cancer moved to my brain was that my prognosis was anything between 10 and 20 years, but once it goes to your brain the statistics say that it drops to between three and five years. “I don’t believe in these statistics, I don’t take any notice of that. “Just because it’s three years on the statistics, it doesn’t mean that it’s three years for me. “I’m not just a statistic, I’m stronger than a statistic.” Now, Kimberley is urging other women to check their breasts regularly, no matter their age. Now, Kimberley is urging other women to check their breasts regularly, no matter their age Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Kimberley said: “I advocate that women should be checking their breasts no matter what age they are – even if you’re in your 20s. “We know our bodies better than anyone, including the GP, so don’t let a GP fob you off. “Advocate for yourself, push past the primary care barrier, do what you need to get seen by proper specialists.” One in seven women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime—around 56,000 a year—making it the second most common cancer in the UK. But, nearly 1,000 people die from the disease every month in the UK, with the disease killing around 11,500 women and 80 men each year. Early detection significantly increases the chances of treating the cancer effectively. Around 30 per cent of women diagnosed with stage four breast cancer survive more than five years after they are diagnosed. Comment now