Identical twins both diagnosed with same cancer weeks apart after one noticed subtle change in body
A pair of twin sisters were tragically diagnosed with breast cancer other after one of them noticed a small warning sign.
British twins Amanda Mcinulty and Rhona Buchanan, 51, received the news of their diagnoses within six weeks of each other.
It began when Rhona, who lives in central Scotland, noticed a dimpling in her left breast in January of this year, which prompted her to visit her GP to get a health check.
She was then referred to the breast clinic to undergo an ultrasound and mammogram, before it was confirmed by the end of April that she had invasive lobular cancer.
Advert
Rhona said: "They thought it was multiple tumours but after a surgery they confirmed it was just one large tumour I had."
After receiving the shocking news, she FaceTimed her twin sister Amanda to tell her that she had breast cancer, who also opted to get herself checked after finding out what was happening.
Just six weeks after Rhonda's diagnosis, Amanda, who lives in in Burton-on-Trent, revealed she also had breast cancer.
Rhona recalled: "Amanda went back to her appointment and the same thing happened. She FaceTimed me from the hospital car park and told me she had breast cancer."
Amanda said the 'inseparable' sisters 'could not believe' what was happening and that it was 'ironic' that the cancer was also in the left breast.
She said: "I had no symptoms. It was just your routine breast screening, after you're age 50 you get invited for breast screening and that's where it was picked up.
"I just thought I was double-checking that everything was alright and for that to happen to me it was just unbelievable."
In recent months both sisters have undergone mastectomies on their left breasts.
Amanda’s cancer was identified as invasive ductal cancer and she was offered a lumpectomy, but chose a full mastectomy instead.
Meanwhile Rhona completed radiotherapy a few weeks ago and she is on a hormone tablet called tamoxifen for 10 years.
With Amanda, because she caught the cancer early, the doctors managed to remove the cancer and she doesn't need radiotherapy or further treatment.
After the shocking ordeal, the sisters have teamed up on TikTok to raise awareness of cancer and also say the experience has 'brought them closer'.
Amanda said: "It has been an emotional journey for ourselves and our family and friends. With us being so close we have been able to support each other."
While Rhona added: "I appreciate the time that we spend together more."
They have had many people reaching out to them asking for advice on breast cancer and have racked up thousands of views on their TikTok account @twintides0.
Rhona said: "I was at Amanda's and I think we were having a conversation about how unique it is the fact that the two of us have got breast cancer within two weeks of each other.
"We were encouraged by Amanda's husband and our son and daughter to document our journey in TikTok.
"We just try to be our authentic selves and just getting our message across."
Madison Burgess