A mother of two who was diagnosed with an incurable form of breast cancer fears for her children after being diagnosed for the fifth time last year.

Rachel Borthwick, 36, received the heartbreaking news that she had an inoperable tumor in her breast last November, after first noticing a lump in September 2021.

St Johnstone player Graham Carey’s partner Rachel has two children; Jaxon, nine, and Marlowe, seven.

Throughout her journey, she went through four different chemotherapy treatments, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy.

She described the “devastating” moment she learned the triple-negative breast cancer that had plagued her for two years had reached stage four.

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Rachel told STV News: “The doctors had left the room to discuss how to explain this to me; That’s when I realized the situation was bad.

“When they told me, we all stayed silent. I’m just in shock.

“I remember being really worried about why they couldn’t have surgery.

“Even if they could reach me, they said it was too close to the main artery. I could die on the table.

“The truth was that it was no longer treatable.

“I wasn’t thinking about dying. Mentally I was thinking, ‘I can’t die, my children need me.’ But reality was hitting,” she added.

“Even now I don’t think it’s fully understood.”

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Until her diagnosis, Rachel had always led a healthy and active lifestyle, going to the gym regularly and practicing dance at university.

At the age of 33, in September 2021, she accidentally discovered a lump between her breast and armpit.

When it became clear she would have a longer wait due to her young age, she opted to go privately for a mammogram and ultrasound at Ross Hall in Crookston.

Doctors performed a biopsy after discovering a “puffy” mass during a scan.

Rachel was given the news that she had triple-negative breast cancer in October 2021, as her mother held her hand in the medical room.

“It was the least common and most aggressive of breast cancers,” he said. “There was less treatment and the prognosis was poor. I hadn’t heard of it. We were in shock, I don’t even know if I can cry.

“I didn’t want to know anything at that moment. It was like someone had died.”

He told his partner Graham, who was training in Bulgaria, to stay there until he started chemotherapy in December 2021.

But he had to break the news to his young children, who were seven and five at the time.

“I told them I needed medication to destroy the bad cells and that I might lose all my hair.

“They were a little worried, but they went on with their lives as if nothing had happened. I wore a cold hat and managed to hide the bald patches.

“As he got older, he got tougher.”

Rachel underwent three rounds of chemotherapy, which she completed in March 2022, before undergoing ten days of radiotherapy in April 2022.

Tests revealed no evidence of cancer cells following treatment.

“I always said chemotherapy was good for me; I did not experience all the symptoms. I didn’t lose all my hair.

“From now on, it’s more about the mental side of things. I once read that life after cancer is harder than living with cancer. I didn’t realize this until I had to.

“I didn’t have cancer in my head, but living in fear of it coming back is the worst.”

His worst fears were confirmed a year later when he discovered another lump near his armpit.

After a biopsy revealed it was the same cancer, Rachel had all of her lymph nodes removed last March and was given chemotherapy tablets the following month.

He was three-quarters of the way through the treatment when another lump was found near the scar tissue removed in June 2023.

In September 2023, Rachel went to hospital after detecting another lump in the same area and discovered a lump on her chest near her collarbone while awaiting biopsy results.

He was taken to Stobhill Hospital to see his surgeon. This time, he chose to go alone to “protect” his family.

There he was given the tragic news that his cancer had returned and was no longer inoperable; It was his fifth diagnosis in two years.

“I was now a paranoid and nervous wreck for finding so much. “I was shaking uncontrollably every time I got on the operating table,” he said.

“I had established a good relationship with my surgeon by then, so when he got eerily quiet, I could tell something was wrong before he told me.”

Rachel began a four-month chemotherapy treatment in December 2023, and immunotherapy continued until September, when tests showed the presence of cancer cells in her breast.

He is seeking alternative treatments before starting another aggressive form of chemotherapy in December.

Approximately £80,000 It was raised on the GoFundMe page Founded by his sister Sarah.

Although he had a hard time accepting his diagnosis, he said he made it his mission to share his story with others online.

He said: “I wanted to use my journey to help people save their own lives. I was bombarded with messages.

“I have people contact me saying, ‘I never checked myself until I saw your post and I found a lump.’

“A woman checking out my post unfortunately found out she had cancer. I burst into tears reading his message, but he said he wouldn’t have found out without my message.

“I always tell women who are expecting results: ‘Keep yourself busy. ‘

“I’m always doing something with the kids; I take them to classes and book weekend events. I don’t allow myself to feel sad in front of them; They are my rock. It helps take my mind off things.

“I will also go to the gym on weekdays when they are at school.

“I’m pretty bad at asking for help, but I’ve learned to ask for help. When I can’t come to my senses, my mother comes and does the ironing or prepares dinner.

“It’s hard, but my support network is good. “I always have someone with me.”

Rachel urges men and women of all ages not to become complacent and to check their bodies for signs of cancer.

He said: “Don’t assume that just because you’re young you’re automatically good. It is becoming increasingly common among young women. It is very important to constantly check yourself.

“It should be talked about more. It’s better for people to talk about it.”

Rachel and her family are looking forward to spending Christmas together.

“We want to enjoy these memories, every birthday and Christmas is more precious than ever. “We want to make everything special because everything is different now,” he said.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen and it doesn’t feel right to think about how much time I have left. I don’t think I will ever accept it.

“I don’t think my children should be left without a mother. “This shouldn’t happen.”

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