Meet Alex - a 47 year old female diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer

Alex is a 47 year white British female who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer in July 2014 and lives with her husband, foster daughter, two dogs and a cat. She owns a Victorian semi in the Wirral and is mother to a married son, soon to be married daughter and a four month old granddaughter.

She works as Full time Area Manager in a national social care organisation, she is also a foster carer, a trustee of a local children’s charity, crafter and a foodie.

What’s important to me?

To have as much quality time with family and friends as possible, for example at least one date a month with her husband and a few short breaks throughout the year.
To use holistic therapies including: acupuncture, reflexology, essential oils & massage.
To take as few allopathic medicines as possible.
To eat healthily most of the time.
Meditate every day as well as partake in art, knitting, baking, cooking, sewing and reading.
To help to empower people & change systems that don’t work.
For the house to be clean, tidy and welcoming.
A good work/life balance.
Travel to new places.

Daily living

Alex continues to try to be as fit as possible.
She has no symptoms at present but questions the occasional discomforts.
The most notable change since treatment is the lack of energy or sudden feeling of exhaustion.
Continues to work full time but hopes to change this soon.
Struggles to maintain the healthy eating & exercising regime that she knows is vital for good health.

Health conditions, medication and provision

History of migraines and slight hypertension. These are managed with acupuncture and occasional painkillers.
Mastectomy & full lymph node removal.
Chemotherapy – 3 x FEC & 3 x Taxotere.
Six admissions to hospital including surgery due to nutrapenia, antibiotics (oral and intravenous antibiotics) prescribed and one blood transfusion.
Regular Reflexology, some massage and acupuncture, juicing, alkaline, mainly vegan diet with some fasting and oil pulling.
Radiotherapy treatment which includes homemade Aloe Vera and essential oils.
Tamoxifen prescribed for the next five years.
Acupuncture once bi-monthly and a massage.

Resources and assets

Alex has a fabulous family. Her husband and children live locally. Her parents and siblings live 50 miles away.
She also has great friends. She keeps in contact with those who are far away via social media.
Supportive colleagues and employers.
Private health care
As the main earner, Alex’s salary is important to her and to ensure that her family are comfortable.
Alex has a very good relationship wither her GP.
Acupuncturist from Wirral Holistic Care Service and meditation.

Concerns and questions

While Alex can talk about and plan her ‘fun’eral; she would like a camp affair, with a disco ball, electric milk float and silver angel disco dancers on roller skates, she struggles to think about and talk about death, especially the ‘leaving people behind’ bit.
Alex prefers to stick her head in the sand regarding prognosis and hopes that one day her light will just go out.
Alex would like to make some sort of mark on the world.
Alex would like to create some positive memories to leave people with.

Professionals concerns

Concerns that Alex’s use of alternative/complimentary treatments will be detrimental to her health.
Concerns that Alex may shun allopathic medicine which may benefit her clinically.
Her passion for a natural approach could cloud her judgement of the allopathic/western approach.