Mum told by doctors her symptoms 'were just hormones' gets devastating diagnosis

Mum told by doctors her symptoms 'were just hormones' gets devastating diagnosis Teaching assistant Lauren Ratcliffe, 36, says she was told that she wasn't old enough to have breast cancer - but thankfully her husband insisted on a second opinion A mum diagnosed with breast cancer claims she was told by doctors that she was "too young" to have the disease — and that her symptoms were "probably just hormones". Lauren Ratcliffe, 36, felt "fobbed off" after being dismissed when she raised concerns having found a worrying lump back in June. After booking a doctor's appointment, the parent was told there was nothing to worry about and that it was more than likely to be hormonal. But after noticing that the lump was growing bigger, she booked another appointment and received an emergency referral to a breast clinic. Teaching assistant Lauren, from Corby, Northamptonshire, says she was told she wasn't old enough for the issue to be "anything serious" — but crucially her husband insisted she get a second opinion. Lauren, a mum of two, said: "I first discovered the lump towards the end of June so booked a doctor's appointment. "The GP asked me lots of questions and examined me but said she didn't think it was anything sinister. "I was just fobbed off and told it was probably due to hormones as my period was due. She told me I was too young for it to be anything serious anyway. "I later told them this at the hospital and they said how crazy that was as they have seen people in their 20s with breast cancer. I took her word for it at the time, but after my cycle the lump was still there. I kept mentioning it to my husband and he said: 'You really need to go back and get it checked again and get a second opinion.' "When I went back and saw a different doctor, she told me that a lump needed to be referred." Lauren was diagnosed with breast cancer after an ultrasound, biopsy and two mammograms at Kettering General Hospital in August and has since been told the cancer is also in her arm pit. She said life had been 'really tough' since receiving her diagnosis and added: "I feel like I'm going through all the emotions and everyone has good and bad days. "You hear about cancer all the time, but you always think: 'That won't happen to me. I'll be fine.' I've always tried to live a healthy lifestyle, eat well and look after myself. "There is, however, a strong history of breast cancer in my family. I'm now the fifth woman in my family to have breast cancer, and I'm the youngest. At first it felt like a nightmare. I struggled terribly with sleep. I'd drift off and then suddenly wake up again with the thought, 'You've got cancer.' "I do have good and bad days, but the key is to stay positive. I've reached the point where I've accepted what's happening and I just want treatment to start so I can get on the road to recovery. "Chemotherapy is likely to be the course of treatment to shrink the cancer followed by an operation." Lauren, who is married to Andy, 41, and mum to Tyler, 16 and Chloe, 12, said she wants to remind others of the importance of checking lumps and asking for referrals. She said: "My message is simple: check yourself every month. If you find a lump or notice anything that doesn't feel right, go straight to your GP. "Just be strong. Don't take no for an answer. Any lump should be referred to hospital for further investigation. If you feel you're being ignored, go back and get a second opinion. "Sometimes I think about what could have happened if I'd simply accepted what I was first told and not gone back.That's quite a frightening thought. It is scary but it's better to be safe than sorry." A GoFundMe has also been set up by Lauren's husband to help with the financial impact of her treatment. She said: "It's not just me going through it, it's my whole family. My mum said to me: 'You may be 36, but you're still my baby.' She told me it breaks her heart watching me go through this, especially because there's nothing she can do to change it. "As a parent, that must be the hardest thing. My husband struggled at first and wasn't in a great place mentally, but he's gone back to work and having that routine again has helped him. "We've tried to keep life as normal as possible for our children. There will come a point when treatment starts and they see me becoming unwell, and that will be difficult. I've had to prepare them for the possibility that I may lose my hair, but I've explained that it's all part of getting better. "Everyone's checking in on me every day. I know people care and I know people are there for me and again that gives me strength. It gives me that boost to fight, which is amazing."