Doctors Replace Woman’s Breasts With Her TUMMY After She Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

Liz Williams, now 24, from Southend, Essex, had been obsessed with checking her breasts for cancer after she developed a minor cyst when she was just 14

MIRACLE doctors replaced a woman’s breasts with her STOMACH after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 21.

Liz Williams, now 24, from Southend, Essex, had been obsessed with checking herself for possible signs of breast cancer after she developed a minor cyst when she was just 14.



Liz pictured in hospital. She had a mastectomy as she was at risk of developing breast cancer again
Last September, Liz underwent a double mastectomy and breast augmentation - where surgeons built her new breasts out of her stomach tissue.

Insurance consultant Liz joked: “It was a no brainer in the end.

“They used my stomach to reconstruct my breasts, so now I’ve got a completely flat stomach and great boobs.

“My surgeon has done a brilliant job.”

Looking back at her ordeal, Liz explained that despite little history of cancer in her family, she’d been bizarrely paranoid about the disease since her early teens.

She believes this might stem from the death of her dad’s mum from the illness before she was born.



The scar left behind after Liz had reconstructive surgery, in October 2016
Even as a school girl, Liz would check her breasts daily - despite breast cancer being most common in women aged 50 to 70.

She said: “My dad’s mum died of breast cancer before I was born. I found a cyst when I was 14 and I have been paranoid about it ever since.

“I noticed one or two lumps but they were always fine – they were just lumps.”

“They told me that they were 95 per cent sure that it wasn’t anything serious because I had had lumps before and I was still only 21.

After doctors took a biopsy, Liz faced a week-long wait for results but, during this time, she convinced herself that all would be fine.

But, when she returned to hospital she was called into a private room where a doctor, a surgeon and three nurses were waiting for her.



Liz before she was diagnosed, around the time that she found the lump, October 2014
She said: “I think I knew then that it was serious.”

With her mum, travel agent Nell, 54, by her side, Liz was then told that she had stage 1 breast cancer.

Medics also explained she would need surgery - as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Ten days later, Liz underwent a lumpectomy to remove the satsuma-sized lump, as well as its surrounding tissue.

Results showed surgeons had successfully removed the cancerous lump, but she still needed six sessions of chemotherapy, which caused her hair and eyebrows to fall out, and four months of radiotherapy to ensure all other cancer cells were killed.



Liz and her boyfriend Jamie, pictured at the Race For Life, in May 2015
Luckily, she was able to take a break from treatment to freeze her eggs.

Liz said: “When I was diagnosed, fertility problems didn’t even occur to me.

“One of my friend’s mums mentioned my eggs and then I realised.

“I spoke to my surgeon about it and I spent January 2015 having my eggs frozen for the future.

“I was lucky to have that time, as quite a lot of people have to start treatment straight away.”

Startlingly, Liz was then dealt another blow in February 2015, when a cannula placed into her arm to allow the chemotherapy drugs to drip slowly around her body became infected - and she developed septicaemia.



Liz’s arm swelled up after the cannula in her arm, to deliver her chemo, became infected


Liz, wearing a wig, with her mum Mel and brother Charlie, in July 2016 – just after she’d finished her treatment
She explained: “I ended up in hospital with septicaemia and a blood clot in my right arm.

“I nearly died from that. I was fighting cancer, but the thing that was meant to help me nearly killed me.”

Thankfully, brave Liz recovered from the septicaemia and was told that her treatment had been successful.

But follow-up tests, which looked into the reason for her developing the disease so young, discovered that she had the BRCA1 gene - and a 65 per cent chance of having breast cancer again.

Unable to face the thought of having to battle the illness again, Liz decided to undergo a double mastectomy as well as reconstructive surgery.


PA REAL LIFE
9
Liz contracted septicaemia whilst being treated for cancer


Liz (right) with her friend Abbi, in November 2014 – just after she’d had her lumpectomy


Liz, pictured after battling cancer, is urging women to check their breasts
She explained: “I knew I would spend the rest of my life worrying about it. I think I made the decision quickly once I heard that.

“Now that I have had the operation, I don’t really have to worry.

“The risk is very minimal. There is still an increased risk of ovarian cancer so I am looking at having a hysterectomy after I have children.”

Although she still requires regular check-ups, Liz was discharged from the breast unit earlier this month.

She said: “The risk has been significantly reduced following the mastectomy, and I will continue to be aware of it.

“I think it’s so important that women remember to check their breasts.

“I checked myself a few times a month because I was so paranoid about it. My story shows that it can affect anyone of any age.”

Source