A mum-of-four who had breast cancer believed that she was fine after checking her symptoms on Google.
Stephanie Skilton, 36, started suffering from nipple discharge, but initially just brushed the issue aside after Google informed her that her symptoms were nothing to be concerned about.
She stated: "When I Googled my symptoms I only had one so I thought I was fine but as soon as I found a lump a couple of weeks later I went to the doctors."
Hull Live reports that since being diagnosed, Stephanie has undergone six months of chemotherapy treatment as well as reconstruction and radiotherapy. She will also remain on chemotherapy until April 2022.
Stephanie is a mum to Blake 11, Alby, 10, Noah, nine, and Bear, three. She said that all of her children reacted in different ways when the were told of her diagnosis.
She explained: "The youngest one didn't understand because he's too little. I shaved my hair in a live stream and I did it in front of him to make sure he knew I was still mummy.
"The middle two are off in their own worlds so they're not doing too badly, but the oldest one understands more and sometimes we sit together and I ask him how he's doing; we've got to make sure we're both okay."
Stephanie explained that her husband, Neil, cried when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She said, "I've never seen my husband cry but he cried when I was diagnosed.
"He's been so supportive. He came to all of my chemotherapy appointments with me in the beginning.
Stephanie explained that it was also difficult because of Covid, as Neil would often have to wait up to seven hours in the car whilst she was being treated.
Stephanie credited her "amazing" chemotherapy nurse, Mateo, describing her as her "absolute rock" and "friend for life".
Being that breast cancer doesn't run in her family, Stephanie described her diagnosis as a shock, but that it has motivated her to make sure that both men and women carry out regular checks.
Stephanie is also the organiser of the Big Boobie Bonanza, a fundraiser for the charities CoppaFeel and Macmillan.
The event is set to take place at Trunkwell House Hotel on Beech Hill Road, Reading on September 26th between 11am and 3pm.
The event will host 40 small, local business stalls, and entertainment is said to include a tombola, bouncy castle and bungee run.
Attendees will also receive the chance to walk an alpaca and meet characters such as Spiderman, as well as Anna and Elsa from Frozen.
Stephanie also revealed that at the event, everyone will receive a bag containing information from CoppaFeel about how they can make sure they're checking their own breasts properly.
She explained: "They need money to run this service and that's one of the big reasons for the fundraiser."
CoppaFeel has a text service set up whereby those subscribed will receive a reminder text on the first of every month, telling them to check their breasts.
Stephanie said: "I think people have this stipulation that cancer is in older people and something you get later in life but that's not true.
"The reason for doing all this fundraising is because I'm quite young.
"I'm 36, I'm a mum of four boys and I want to make people aware that they need to check, because after numerous conversations with people my age, younger and older, I've learned that people aren't checking their breasts.
"I'm on a mission to make sure everyone in Berkshire is checking their breasts and going to their GP if they're noticing any lumps."
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