A Lancashire mum who survived an aggressive type of breast cancer has opened up about her ‘horrendous’ ordeal – as well as the business she created as a result.
Jody Bullough, who was born in Blackpool and now lives in Burnley, was diagnosed with cancer in 2019.
She found a painful lump in her breast and had it examined by doctors.
Jody, 51, said: “I found a lump just before we were about to go on holiday. I initially dismissed it as hormones but when I was on holiday I couldn’t lie on the sun lounger because it was so painful.”
She had several mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies. Before she even got the results back, the radiographer warned Jody that the lump “didn’t look good”.
Jody, aged 47 at the time of diagnosis, said: “I remember when they told me ‘you’ve got cancer’. I just could not believe that I got it. We had no family history and I thought I was ‘invincible’, in a way.”
She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called triple-negative breast cancer, which accounts for 10 to 15 per cent of all breast cancers.
This type of cancer grows quickly and is likely to have spread before it is found.
According to the cancer.org website, “the outlook is generally not as good as it is for other types of breast cancer”.
Jody said the research she conducted after her diagnosis “made for scary reading”.
Symptoms can include:
- A new lump or thickening in your breast or armpit
- A change in size, shape or feel of your breast
- Skin changes in the breast such as puckering, dimpling, a rash or redness of the skin
- Fluid leaking from the nipple in a woman who isn’t pregnant or breastfeeding
- Changes in the position of nipple
Doctors removed the 2.4cm tumour on Jody’s 48th birthday – but her cancer battle wasn’t over yet. She had to endure months of chemotherapy which caused her to lose her hair and her self-confidence.
She explained: “It was tough – I lost my hair and I had a lot of hair before. It was difficult for me and my daughter to deal with.
“It was a horrendous time, but I am still here and my hair has grown back even better than it has before.
“I appreciate things more but it has also turned me into a more paranoid person. I am constantly on high alert.”
Thankfully, Jody was given the ‘all clear’ in February 2019 and she has been cancer-free for three years now.
A “silver lining” of the ordeal for Jody was the creation of her new business, Bang On.
This is a sex aid business, selling cushions and wedges designed to make sex more comfortable.
Jody said: “It’s not very nice having sex after cancer.
“After radiotherapy, your ribs and breasts are very tender. All of my bones ached from the treatment – I felt about 100-years-old.
“Cancer takes so much away from you and doesn’t make you feel sexy.
“We wanted something to help with positioning. I bought a blow-up cushion which was about as comfortable as a lilo.
“I co-own a manufacturing business so I thought – why don’t we make something ourselves? So I did.”
Jody only officially launched the business this year after thinking that other people, whether sick or just physically impaired, might need products like this for themselves.
She currently has six products for sale, each of which has a different shape.
The positioning cushions and wedges are ergonomically designed to support your bottom, back, hips or neck.
They can help people going through a wide range of treatments and those experiencing back and hip pain, providing stability and comfort. They are also fantastic for pregnant women or for after giving birth.
She said: “I thought if we had a requirement for it then other people might too.
“We’ve chosen some beautiful colours such as emerald green and purple.
“I hope that it can become a big thing and really take away the stigma of talking about sex, particularly after a long-term illness.
“Sick, disabled and elderly people still have needs – and sex should be discussed more.
“They also look really nice in your bedroom, like cushions, You wouldn’t know they were sex aids.”
Find out more about the business and products avaliable by visiting the https://bangon.it/shop/
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