‘I was only 36, I was too young for this’

A Sydney mother-of-two was in the shower one evening when she noticed something strange – a few days later, her entire life changed.

A Sydney mum with two young boys has opened up about the horrific reality of battling breast cancer in her 30s.

When Sara Monaghan first felt a lump in her breast during an evening shower, she never imagined it was going to turn her life upside down.

Although a bit surprised, she did not think it would be anything too bad, and decided to ask her doctor about it during a check-up appointment a month later “just in case”.

The mum was sent for an ultrasound by her doctor to be safe – but said her stomach dropped when she saw a dark mass on the screen.

“Breast cancer was not something in my sphere of thought at all.” the now 39-year-old told news.com.au.

“I was only 36, with two little kids, and at the peak of my physical fitness. It never even crossed my mind, until it happened.

Want to stream your news? Flash lets you stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >

Sara says she tries her best to keep a ‘brave face’. Picture: Supplied.

Her first day of chemotherapy. Picture: Supplied

“I was in the shower, and felt a lump in my breast. In my mind, it was likely nothing, because I had this idea that I was too young.

“I had so much going on at the time. My mum was in palliative care, and I had two young boys. My youngest was five and just started kindy. Like a lot of mothers, I put myself at the bottom of the importance list.

“I brought the lump up to my doctor. They were not overly concerned at that point, so I was sent for an ultrasound.

“I knew at that moment that something was seriously wrong, I could see a dark mass on the screen.”

Sara was sent for a biopsy after the scan, and had to anxiously wait over the weekend before being called into her doctor’s on the Wednesday.

It was then she was given the horrific news – she had breast cancer.

The day Sara shaved her head. Picture: Supplied

Sara and her family in June 2020. Picture: Supplied

“My mind instantly went to my husband and my boys,” she said.

“I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. Like many women, it had never crossed my mind as a possibility until it happened to me.

“The day after meeting my surgeon, I went in for surgery to have the lump removed. Everything happened so fast.

“We drew up a plan to have six months of chemotherapy and five weeks of daily radiation, and I had to plan how to explain all of this to my boys.”

The mum opened up about the difficulty of having to break the news to her two young sons.

While she describes herself as “not the most girly of girls”, she said nothing could have prepared her for the loss of her hair.

“I sat the boys down and we talked about cancer,” she said.

“I told them about what chemo would entail, and that I was going to lose my hair. I don’t think they could fully process the news just due to their age.

“I woke up one morning, and my hair was all matted into one dreadlock. It looked bad, so I thought I’ll go into the shower and try and work it out.

“Half my hair just fell out. I found myself filling up a plastic woolworths shopping bag with hair that I’d lost.

“That loss of control when having cancer is one of the hardest things.

Sara undergoing her first operation in February 2019. Picture: Supplied

Her last day of chemo

“I’m great at the game face, I try to act brave but inside it might be a different story.

“I thought losing my hair might be easier for me, as I’m not the most girly of girls, and it’s never been a huge priority.

“But when I actually lost my hair, it was so hard. There were a lot of tears.

“Nothing can prepare you for seeing your hair fall out in front of your eyes.”

Sara said that the anxiety attached to trying to keep her hair was harder than actually having it shaved off.

“There is so much anxiety attached to losing your hair.

“I’d be walking my boys to school, and my they’d say ‘mum your hair is landing on me', it was actually just falling out on the street as I was walking around.

“Once I actually shaved my head, I felt a huge sense of relief. Trying to retain your hair is so much harder than actually just shaving it.

“But when I went out in public, I could feel people looking at me. Hair loss is the primary indicator that someone is unwell, so I felt really exposed.

“Losing my eyebrows and eyelashes was even harder.

Sara has since had a double mastectomy and a full hysterectomy, and is still on medication to this day.

Sara pictured in December, 2019. Picture: Supplied

Sara uses her experience to help raise awareness. Picture: Supplied

While she is not in the “all clear” due to the chance of the cancer coming back, she said she no longer feels like her life revolves around the illness.

Sarah is now using her experience to help raise awareness of breast cancer and urges women to stay vigilant, no matter their age or how healthy they might feel.

She recently spoke at an event for GHD – who partner with many breast cancer charities globally – and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

“There are 57 women and men diagnosed with breast cancer a day in Australia alone,” Sara said. “One-in-seven women will be diagnosed in their lifetime, and it will effect one-in-600 men. Each day in Australia, nine people die from the disease. That is so unimaginable.

“We rely on charities and companies such as GHD to help fund research. I am so thankful that they are committed to the cause.

Sara spoke at a GHD event in July, 2022. Picture: Supplied

“I hope many women won’t ever have to go through this, but the reality is that many will.

“I hope by sharing my story, someone might do self breast check or go for a breast screen. It could save your life.”

In Partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation Australia (NBCF), ghd is celebrating the launch of its 2022 Limited Edition Pink Collection and 18-year ongoing partnership with breast cancer charities worldwide, raising over $22 million for the cause.

This year, ghd will continue their support by donating $20 from every limited-edition Pink purchase to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Australia.