Glasgow mum's asthma was incurable cancer in lung and spine

Mairi O’Brien thought her battle was over after getting the all clear from breast cancer in 2019.

So when the 51-year-old, from Royston in Glasgow, began to suffer a cough and breathlessness later that year, she thought her asthma had returned.

But after undergoing scans at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in January 2020, it was revealed she had lesions on her spine and lung.

She was then diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, which meant her original cancer had spread through her body attaching itself to her other organs.

Now despite knowing she will never be free of the illness, Mairi is determined to keep fighting to keep her condition “at bay”.

Mairi is determined to keep fighting

She told the Glasgow Times: “When I was told it was not curable I was devastated, I thought I was going to die there and then.

“I had lost my best friend to secondary breast cancer so as you can imagine I was terrified.

“I'm still fighting it and for now it is treatable.

“People think that it's just breast cancer and treatment will cure it but unfortunately this is not the case.

“For now treatment is keeping it a bay.”

Mairi is battling cancer again

Mairi was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 after suffering a sharp and sudden pain in her chest and then finding a lump.

She underwent treatment and four years later believed she was out of the woods, until she became ill again in November 2019.

Doctors then gave her an X-ray which revealed a suspicious shadow which resulted in them ordering a CT scan.

Just 90 minutes after the scan Mairi received a phone call from worried medics telling her to go to the Glasgow Royal immediately and she was diagnosed with cancer again.

Now she attends the Beatson regularly and is planning to take part in a 10k later this month in Glasgow to help raise funds for the charity.

Mairi said: “I was watching telly one day and it was like someone had pinged me with an elastic band on my breast and I felt the lump, I had no other symptoms.

“Beatson Cancer Charity is important to me as I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I attended the hospital for my treatment.

“Seven years on and I have returned as I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in my lung and spine in 2020.

“I attend the Beatson every month for treatment and can't thank them enough for the support given to both me and my family.

“We are taking part in the annual Off the Beatson Track 10k event this year to raise vital funds for Beatson Cancer Charity so they can continue to provide support and treatment to people diagnosed with cancer.”

You can donate to Mairi’s JustGiving page here.