Knowing about the 12 different signs of breast cancer may well have saved Emma Thomson’s life.
Thomson (pictured), who is head of protection development at Sesame Bankhall Group, wrote about her journey as a breast cancer critical illness claimant for Health & Protection earlier this year.
And it was a subject Thomson returned to in taking part in AIG Life’s latest OneChat podcast.
In the podcast Thomson touches on a number of topics such as her experience when she was first diagnosed, the importance of having cover in place and how telling real stories about cancer changes people’s behaviours.
But Thomson also addressed how an image produced by US-based Know Your Lemons Foundation may have changed her life.
The image (below) details 12 lemons and associated signs of breast cancer including thick area, dimple, nipple crust, red or hot, new fluid, skin sores, bump, growing vein, sunken nipple, new shape or size, orange peel skin and hard lump.
“It’s essentially 12 lemons in an egg carton,” Thomson said.
“I saw this on Facebook and I thought, you know what? one of those lemons is me.
“Because when it comes to breast cancer, a lot of people are just told, look out for the lumps – but it’s not just lumps that you need to be mindful of.
“And I didn’t have a lump. I had one of the other lemons and it was seeing that that made me go and see the GP in the first place.”
Seeing that image may have saved her life, Thomson added.
“It certainly would have helped get the treatment earlier than if I hadn’t seen it,” Thomson continued.
“I want to raise awareness as much as possible. And we need to remember as well that’s it’s not just women that get breast cancer, it’s men as well. So it’s really important that everybody is aware.
“So keep checking yourself. Share that image if you can. It could just save a life.”