One of Scotland’s youngest breast cancer survivors, whose mum died from the disease, has been chosen as the face of a campaign to save lives.
Courageous Nicole Little, who was diagnosed aged 27, is launching World Cancer Day in Scotland.
And she’s urging people to unite for World Cancer Day on February 4 by making a donation to Cancer Research UK or wearing the charity’s Unity band.
The band is available online in three different colours- pink, navy and blue.
Supporting vital research means so much to ambulance dispatcher Nicole who was just seven when breast cancer claimed the life of her mum Celine Mason at age of 32.
Today Nicole who carries the faulty BRCA1 gene, known to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, is determined to help uncover everything she can about that genetic link to cancer which has cast a shadow over her family’s life.
Nicole of Bathgate, said: “Most people are lucky enough to grow up with a mum but I was so young when cancer took my mum away.
“I still miss her every day and when it was me in the hospital room being told I had cancer, my first thought was for my mum. I feared at first it was like history repeating itself.
“I said to the doctor: ‘That’s what killed my mum.’
“But the doctors quickly explained there have been huge advances in treatment for breast cancer since my mum went through it in the 1990s. They’re so much better at treating breast cancer today thanks to research, something which gave me hope. Now I want to support research, not just for me and for future generations but in honour of my mum too.”
Every year, around 32,400 people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland.
By donating or getting a Unity band, people across Scotland will be raising money to help get life-saving research back on track after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cancer Research UK expects to see its fundraising income decline by a staggering £300m over the next three years, which could put future breakthroughs at risk.
Nicole vividly recalls her shock when doctors told her she had triple negative breast cancer on July 11, 2019, at St John’s Hospital.
She’d gone for tests after discovering a lump in her right breast.
Determined to have a family of her own one day but concerned the treatment may affect her fertility, Nicole started IVF treatment at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary Hospital, stimulating the production of 14 eggs which were then harvested under sedation and frozen for the future.
And on August 9, Nicole had surgery to remove the tumour.
The results of genetic tests on August 12 revealed Nicole carried the faulty BRCA1 gene.
A course of six chemotherapy sessions which started on September 9 meant Nicole’s long blonde hair fell out.
But her dad Andy (53) was there to support her even during the down days.
Nicole said: “Dad helped me shave off my hair as it was coming away in handfuls every time I went for a shower.
“At times I felt angry with my life but my dad was brilliant. At night when I couldn’t sleep he’d get up with me and we’d talk. Other times we’d just sit and do a jigsaw together. I felt like a child again. Dad is bald. He’d say to me: ‘I always told you, ‘bald is beautiful’.”
Nicole was also supported by her best friend Kelsey Robertson.
Nicole and Kelsey have been best friends for 21 years since they met on Nicole’s first day at Balbardie Primary. Nicole started at the new school following the death of her mum.
Nicole said: “The first thing I ever said to Kelsey in the classroom on that first day was, ‘Hello, my name is Nicole and my mum’s just died.
“It was quite an introduction but Kelsey looked after me from day one. Years later after we’d grown up and Kelsey lost her own mum Christine to lung cancer aged 52, I was there for Kelsey. And when I faced cancer, Kelsey was right there for me again. She made me a glass jar full of inspirational quotes. Every day I had the chance to pick out a quote from the jar. It made a big difference. She really has proved my guardian angel- not once but twice.”
Nicole endured an operation to remove her ovaries on January 19 last year and on March 28 last year, just days after lockdown across Scotland started, Nicole had surgery to remove both her breasts followed by reconstruction.
Now back at work, Nicole is in remission.
She added: “Going through cancer made me realise how lucky I am to have people in my life who love me. That’s why I want everyone in Scotland to mark World Cancer Day. Just by wearing a Unity band or making a donation, everyone can help make a real difference to people with cancer.”
World Cancer Day is an international initiative, uniting people around the world on February 4 to beat the disease.
Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman in Scotland, said: “Covid-19 has hit us hard, so we are very grateful to Nicole and her family for their support, for helping to underline the stark reality of the current situation.
“Our research has played a role in developing eight of the world’s top 10 cancer drugs. We’re working every day to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. But we can’t do it alone.
“By donating to mark World Cancer Day people in Scotland will be funding world-class research to help more people survive. Together, we will beat cancer.”
Donate or get a Unity band online at cruk.org/worldcancerday
