Doctor treated for years for cancer patients – then you yourself become ill

Liz O’Riordan is a British chest surgeon. After twenty years, where she was employed as a Doctor with breast cancer patients, diseased in 2015 itself of the disease. Their experience and Knowledge she now uses to make sufferers throughout the world with courage.

Twenty years of her life Liz O’riordan of the treatment of breast cancer dedicated to before she was diagnosed at the age of 40 years. “Like so many women, I let my Breasts not to investigate,” she recalls today. “I thought to myself: I am a breast cancer surgeon, I can not pass”. And yet, the diagnosis came in July 2015.

Six months earlier, she discovered cysts in her breast, this turned out to be, however, considered to be harmless. Then further, O’riordan only at the insistence of her mother to investigate. “A lot of patients get the disease information bit by bit. I knew immediately when I saw the picture, what was going on,“ recalls the British in your Blog, liz.oriordan.co.uk. She knew that she needed a mastectomy. And that she would receive due to her age, chemotherapy.

From the surgeon to the patient

And so it came to be. The Doctor that treated usually patients with the same disease, and now had to switch the roles. “I know what it’s like to tell someone that he has cancer of the breast. But I didn’t know what it was like, the lips together, squinting, to dry tears, to fight through the waiting rooms and corridors of the hospital, and finally to the Parking lot to arrive and to cry,“ recalls the 43-Year-old. In the coming nine months, six chemotherapy, followed by sessions, a mastectomy, and a final radiation therapy. In April 2016, the good news: is the end of The therapy, the cancer is defeated.

Only a short time later, Liz O’was dedicated to her Job Riordan. She thought her experience would help her with the patients, but you quickly realized that your handle over the course of the constant confrontation with the disease mentally: “I was aware that I would add to the women the same pain that I had,” she recalls, “and I don’t want to.”

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After two years the cancer came back

And you also had to not for a long time, because in may 2018, the blow came. Your reconstructed breast caused severe pain, so O’riordan decided to remove them. In the case of a Scan prior to the surgery, the Doctors found a new Tumor in the same place, the old one was. This led to a further radiation treatment. Two beams at the same location treatments are, however, not common, since they can cause considerable damage. They were, however, O’Riordans only Chance.

The aggressive treatment led to permanent damage to your shoulder and your arm. In spite of intensive physiotherapy and other Treatment, the Doctors and therapists were not able to restore the functionality. After four months, the surgeon decided that it was time to put her career to an end. “This was a very hard decision,” says O’riordan, “I can cope with my everyday life, but surgery can be completed safely, it will never be the case”.

Today, the former surgeon makes Affected courage

Since the retirement of its early O has found’riordan, however, a new task: she’s now a volunteer for others who are in similar situations as you. As an Ambassador of the organization “Working with Cancer” tells you to be Concerned about their rights for re-entry into the profession and gives you tips on how to use the emotional highs and lows can survive.

In addition, the people on your Blog, your story, and lectures as a Speaker and is the Co-author of a book on the topic of: “The complete guide to breast cancer” (previously only available in English). So, she says, have you noticed that you could not reach just a few people, but hundreds, if not thousands – to help you on your journey.

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