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GP's own breast cancer battle: Listen to your body!
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- GP initially dismissed lump, returned 18 months later.
- Cancer found in both breasts after second hospital visit.
- Doctor now urges others to trust their instincts.
A GP, Clare Whitney, from Dumfriesshire, Scotland, urges others to "listen to your body" after her own breast cancer diagnosis. She initially felt a small lump in her left breast in the summer of 2022 but was told it was "nothing of concern".
Eighteen months later, experiencing a persistent feeling that "something was wrong," she returned to the hospital. An MRI scan then revealed cancerous lumps in both breasts, leading to her diagnosis in January 2024. She underwent a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery in February 2024, followed by radiotherapy.
Whitney's personal experience has deepened her empathy for patients. She now works as a salaried GP with fixed hours, improving her work-life balance, and advocates for trusting one's intuition regarding health changes.
