Dakota, 28, was fit, happy and had no reason to think that there was something wrong with her health. Then she received heartbreaking news

Only three weeks before her 29th birthday, Dakota MiddlebyLife turned into an instant.

It was March 26 when she received the call that confirmed her worst fears.

What started as a seemingly harmless swelling under her right arm turned out to be something much more serious: phase 3, grade 3 her2-positive breast cancer – a rare and aggressive form of the disease that is usually associated with older women.

“I initially went to the doctors for a lump seven years ago that I found in my chest, but I was told that it was a fat lump and was not harmful,” Dakota told Femail.

‘The only thing I noticed this time were some swollen lymph nodes under my arm. My doctor initially thought it was viral and that I would get sick. But weeks passed and they didn’t go down. ‘

Eventually she was sent for an ultrasound.

‘I postponed it for a week because I couldn’t get an appointment and I didn’t think it was serious. I mean, I was 28 and extremely healthy – what could it have been?

“But then I saw the ultrasound change and I knew something was wrong,” she remembered.

The Dakota doctor told her that it was suspected that was breast cancer.

“I was in shock,” she remembered.

‘There is no cancer in my family. I felt completely healthy. I didn’t know that people from in the twenty breast cancer could get. ‘

What followed was a blur of medical tests: two biopsy, a PET scan, a CT scan and a flurry of bloodwork.

Then came the official diagnosis – stage 3 HER2 -positive breast cancer, known for how quickly it spreads.

“I literally thought I would die. My whole life flashed before my eyes, “she said.

She had just moved from the Gold Coast to Melbourne for a new job, but within six months she was forced to resign to concentrate on treatment.

“I resigned when I was diagnosed, just because it was mentally too much to try to manage both,” she said.

Dakota quickly discovered how aggressive her treatment should be.

HER2-positive cancers require a combination of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and often surgery.

There was no time to freeze traditional egg to retain its fertility.

Instead, she underwent Emergency Ovary Tissue Freezing – a relatively unusual procedure – and started monthly Zoladex injections to close her ovaries and to protect against the hard effects of chemo.

“I had to go into the early menopause almost at night,” she said, suffering menopause-like symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings and more changes and brings your body through a physical toll.

The chemotherapy of Dakota started shortly thereafter.

Every three weeks she receives a round of powerful medicines that are designed to kill the cancer cells.

“I get mouth ulcers, nausea, heartburn, memory fog and even temporary facial problems,” she said.

‘It takes about a week to even feel semi-human again. By the second week I start to feel a little better. The third week is my only good week – then it all starts again. ‘

Two weeks after her first treatment, her hair started to fall out.

“My skin changed at night. I am from having clear skin to acne on my face, chest and back, “she said.

“It’s not something that I can hide, and that is one of the most difficult parts.”

Dakota was planned to undergo surgery in September to remove the lymph nodes from its right side.

If chemotherapy the tumor has not shrunk enough by that time, doctors will perform a breast amputation.

Determined to keep her mind active, she recently started an internship at a marketing agency.

“I just wanted to keep my brain moving and keep learning as much as possible as I can,” she explained.

Yet daily life now looks dramatically different. Even something simple as leaving the house has become a challenge.

“It is as if you are brave enough to go to the supermarket without her and let everyone look,” she said.

“Otherwise it is:” Where is my wig? I have to set up my wig “. Those on appearance now mean much more. You have been viewed differently. ‘

Because she was 29 and lived in Melbourne, they always thrive on a busy social life.

“Something always happened – going out during the week for a wine, seeing friends, just being on the road,” she said.

“Now it feels like everything has been put on hold.”

Even the little things – most people would not think twice – have shifted.

‘I have to be so careful with what I eat, make sure that all my vegetables are washed well, make sure I walk, my body moves, on top of everything. It’s a lot. Many things have changed, “she said.

Experience has let her evaluate everything again – including how long the cancer has grown.

“I was told that I had a fat lump in my chest when I was 21. I have not had him checked so far, “she said.

“Looking back, I wonder if that’s the beginning.”

Despite everything, Dakota has found strength in unexpected places.

She continues to do Pilates and completes her internship to stay mentally stimulated between treatments.

“There were a few weeks where I was in a ‘poor I’ headroom,” she said.

“But I had to move my way of thinking. I don’t want cancer to take more from me than it already has. ‘

She is also stimulated by support from her loved ones.

Her mother flew to Melbourne twice to take care of her and her partner stayed by her side.

“He has been incredible. His workplace has been so understanding, and not everyone is so happy, “she said.

But Dakota knows that many other women do not have the same support – or access to early impressions.

Since she shares her story, she is contacted in the twenty by other women who are also fighting breast cancer.

‘I have heard of girls so young as 20 who have it. We are no deviations – it happens more and more, “she said.

“But there is still a huge bias. We can be heard that we are “too young” for breast cancer. We did not learn to check our breasts. Screening is not offered to us. And when we speak, we are often fired. ‘

That is why she is launching a Donation Fund to have women under 40 access to early screening of breast cancer – even if they have no symptoms or family history.

“There is just no help for us,” she said.

“You should not find a lump or wait until the stage 3 is to get answers.”

Her goal is to let the fund work towards the end of the year.

“I don’t just want to survive this. I want to do something with it, “she said.