Julia, Laura and the power of compassionate care
As a mother of three, a grandmother of six and a full-time carer for her mum, Julia's days are packed with family life and caring for others.
It was completely by chance that one day, as she was getting up from the sofa, she felt a lump in her breast as she brushed past it. Instinctively, Julia knew that something wasn’t right.
"I immediately picked up the phone to book an appointment with my doctor."
Julia (pictured top left) was referred to St Bartholomew’s Hospital where she had a mammogram and a biopsy. Her daughter then joined her to meet breast surgeon Laura Johnson (top right), who broke the news that she had stage 1 breast cancer.
Despite this bombshell, Julia tried to stay calm for her daughter’s sake. "I was telling my daughter to not get upset, that I would be okay," Julia explains. "Laura was there to reassure us both and talked through everything in detail: what they had found, what it meant, and the options available. She’s one of the nicest doctors I have ever met."
Laura explained that because they had caught the tumour at an earlier stage, she would need surgery to remove the tumour, followed by a brief round of radiotherapy. Thanks to the support of the team, Julia felt ready for her treatment.
"It’s weird but I wasn’t nervous at all; I just felt very comfortable. Laura explained everything in great detail, and the support from the nurses was just impeccable. Their empathy and understanding is just incredible. They treat you like a person and not just a number. So that made me feel a lot better."
Surgery went smoothly, and Julia was also given a breast uplift to keep any difference in appearance to a minimum.
When Julia was told about a documentary being filmed at the hospital, she jumped at the opportunity to tell her story and praise the incredible team that supported her through every step of her treatment journey.
“It was a great experience” Julia says. “Me and the director had a great rapport, and it really helped me to not just focus on what I was going through. If seeing my story helps other women who are going through the same situation, then that’s great."
Julia has now finished radiotherapy and, despite a couple of scares during follow-up scans, is now looking forward to a cancer-free future. Fatigue and brain fog has been an ongoing battle, but she is determined to get back to doing all the things that bring her joy. "I do get bouts of fatigue and sometimes when I walk my legs are like lead. But I just try and carry on with things. I like to do upholstery and photography, which I've had to put on hold at the moment, but hopefully I can go back to that in the spring."
Throughout her treatment journey, the incredible support and kindness she received from staff often moved her to tears.
"It meant so much to me. When I was going through the radiotherapy, it was like talking to my best friend or to my sisters. They were so patient and let me go at my own pace. It's such a busy department, but they took the time to talk to me and didn't rush me, which was really nice."
Julia hopes the new breast cancer centre based at St Bartholomew's Hospital and supported by Barts Charity will give other women what she found at Barts including reassurance, expertise, and compassionate care.
"It’s such a positive thing. The technology, the staff, the support - it will help so many women."
Julia's story was featured in episode 4 of Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time. Find out more about the series and catch up with previous episodes.
Pictured (top): Julia (left) and Laura (right); pictured (middle) Laura's all-female surgical team; and picture (below) Laura and Julia chatting post-operation.
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