Wigan councillor urges women to have breast screening after mammogram saved her life

“The mammogram saved my life. It’s as simple as that.”
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When Coun Pat Draper went for routine breast screening, she had no idea her life was about to be turned upside-down.

Despite having no symptoms, she would discover she had breast cancer and face months of treatment to fight the disease.

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Now, after ringing the bell to mark the end of treatment two weeks ago, she has decided to share her story to inspire other Wigan women to get checked.

Councillor Pat DraperCouncillor Pat Draper
Councillor Pat Draper

She said: “I had no symptoms when I went to get a mammogram, nothing at all. That was picked up through going for a mammogram, which I have never missed.

"This is the reason I am speaking out – for other women to go for their mammogram. It’s the most important thing you can probably do. There are 12,000 women in Wigan who haven’t attended for their mammogram.”

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Coun Draper, who has represented Douglas ward for Labour since 2016, went for breast screening on January 13.

Coun Pat Draper, second from right, at the Thomas Linacre Centre with Labour candidate Matt Dawber, Coun Mary Callaghan, Mayor Coun Marie Morgan, consort Coun Clive Morgan and members of staffCoun Pat Draper, second from right, at the Thomas Linacre Centre with Labour candidate Matt Dawber, Coun Mary Callaghan, Mayor Coun Marie Morgan, consort Coun Clive Morgan and members of staff
Coun Pat Draper, second from right, at the Thomas Linacre Centre with Labour candidate Matt Dawber, Coun Mary Callaghan, Mayor Coun Marie Morgan, consort Coun Clive Morgan and members of staff
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The test is usually carried out every three years and she had been due to have a mammogram in 2021, but it was delayed due to the pandemic.

She was asked to go back on January 26 because something was not right, and had another mammogram, ultrasound scan and biopsy.

Coun Draper, 61, was told a 2.5cm tumour had been found and she had stage one breast cancer.

"Obviously the words ‘cancer’ and ‘breast cancer’ were terrifying,” she said. “I was just in shock, to be perfectly honest. Everything happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to think. My way of dealing with things is to get on with it, I have always been the same.”

Coun Pat Draper with staff at Wigan Infirmary's cancer care centreCoun Pat Draper with staff at Wigan Infirmary's cancer care centre
Coun Pat Draper with staff at Wigan Infirmary's cancer care centre
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Coun Draper saw a surgeon on February 10 and had surgery at Wrightington Hospital a week later to remove the tumour.

But a biopsy found the tumour was larger than expected – measuring 5.2cm – and she returned to surgery on March 31.

The cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes, but doctors did find it was invasive and HER-2 positive, meaning it could grow and spread faster.

She was also told the cancer could have been inherited, with her grandmother and two aunts previously having the disease.

The breast screening team at the Thomas Linacre Centre want to raise £60,000 for a new ultrasound machineThe breast screening team at the Thomas Linacre Centre want to raise £60,000 for a new ultrasound machine
The breast screening team at the Thomas Linacre Centre want to raise £60,000 for a new ultrasound machine
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Coun Draper spent six weeks recovering from the operation – but did not spend it all in bed.

She said: “I was out campaigning. It was just gentle exercise, but I was trying to keep things normal.”

She started to have chemotherapy on June 13, with a weekly session at Wigan’s cancer unit every Monday for 12 weeks, each lasting three to four hours.

“It’s very modern, you don’t feel like you are going in hospital,” she said. “They have the radio on, they are looking after you, everything is attended to. The team was absolutely fantastic.”

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But once she returned to her home, Coun Draper felt the side-effects, including tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea and rashes on her face and neck.

She said: “I was stubborn and said I wanted to keep my hair. I’m known for my hair really. I asked if there was anything to help me keep my hair and they said a cold cap. It was like torture.”

The cap was a plastic mould with another hat on top. It was filled with liquid and attached to an electrical machine to freeze it, reducing blood flow to the scalp.

While some patients cannot bear it, Coun Draper was determined to wear it throughout the 12 sessions and kept around 50 per cent of her hair.

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Once the chemotherapy was completed, she had another recovery period and started radiotherapy on September 28, travelling to Salford Royal Hospital for five days a week for three weeks.

And two weeks ago she was finally able to ring the bell on the ward to mark the end of her treatment.

Coun Draper said: “You are supposed to ring the bell three times and some of the staff came out to see me do it. I was elated. I felt I had done it. I couldn’t do any more.”

She will receive two final injections of anti-cancer drug herceptin in November and continue to be monitored by doctors, but does not require further treatment.

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Coun Draper is now looking to the future – including getting back on the campaign trail after being selected to stand in the Douglas ward in next year’s local elections.

She said: “I feel like my old self. You do go through some bad days, but I have a good network around me and that’s crucial. It’s not easy and it’s not easy on your family and the people who are watching you go through it, walking to the cancer unit and then having to leave you there alone because of Covid.”

She paid tribute to everyone who had helped during her cancer battle, including her husband James, family, friends and constituents, plus fellow councillors including council leader David Molyneux, mayor Marie Morgan and ward colleague Mary Callaghan, and new ward candidate Matt Dawber.

Coun Draper also thanked all of the medical staff across Wigan and Salford involved in her treatment.

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She is now backing an appeal to raise £60,000 for an ultrasound machine at the Thomas Linacre Centre to reduce waiting times for tests, and visited the site with the mayor on Friday.

Coun Draper said: “I think this campaign is going to be very close to me now and I will help them raise that £60,000.”

Women are first invited for breast screening between the ages of 50 to 53 and then return every three years until they turn 71.

People over 71 or those with any concerns should speak to their GP or call the South Lancashire breast screening programme on 01942 774752.

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