Adrienne Morgan

In November 2003 I discovered a lump in my breast. My GP referred me for urgent triple screening at UCL and in December 2003 it was declared benign. During 2004 the lump didn't go away and in January 2005 I went to my GP again and was again was referred for an urgent triple screening. The radiographer saw something suspicious on the mammogram but they couldn't find any malignant cells with the needle or punch biopsy. They decided to remove the lump anyway for detailed histology. On the 17th March 2005 aged 49, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I had a 15mm grade 3 tumour, node positive (1/15), oestrogen (and progesterone) receptor positive and HER2 negative. I had a wide local excision, sentinel node biopsy and a full lymph node clearance. My chemotherapy was E-CMF which was 4 rounds of Epirubicin, followed by 4 rounds of Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, 5-flurouraciI. I then had 5 weeks of radiotherapy. During my chemo I was entered into the AZURE Trial (zoledronic acid treatment arm). After my chemo I started on Tamoxifen which I continued with for 16 months when I was switched to an aromatase inhibitor (exemestane) which I am still taking.

In March 2010 I was diagmosed with secondary breast cancer - two mets in my spine. I've been switched on to anastrazol and have had radiotherapy. My disease is stable at present.

Apart from all the acute side effects of chemo and radio, my main problem is hot flushes. The hot flushes!!! I was pre-menopausal when I was diagnosed and the treatment precipitated a sudden early menopause. This was made worse by tamoxifen and now the aromatase inhibitors. I have a hot flush about every 45mins 24 hours a day which makes sleeping difficult without drugs.

I am a PhD medical research scientist and I worked for 20 years in academia and industry. I had a brief spell as a computer expert and I now work in the cancer charity sector, the last 3 years as the staff scientist at the charity Children with Leukaemia, and I am currently the secretariat for Cancer52 – an umbrella organisation that represents the less common cancers.

Compared with the other members of this group, I am fairly new to patient advocacy. I have worked informally as a patient advocate with Breakthrough and Breast Cancer Campaign since my diagnosis. Most recently I have been involved with Campaign's new Tissue Bank initiative. I have attended the NCRI conference for the last 3 years.

I am 55 and I live in central London with my husband Chris.