Photography Exhibition Seeks to Enhance Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness

An exhibition showcasing photographs of individuals with secondary breast cancer aims to enhance public understanding of the indicators of metastasis. Abigail Fahey, a photographer from Worthing in West Sussex, created the images featuring women who have experienced the secondary form of the disease at the GenesisCare private care facility located in Guildford. Secondary breast cancer is defined as the spread of breast cancer cells beyond the breast, via the lymphatic or blood systems, to other areas of the body, including the brain, bones, skin, liver, or lungs. Research conducted by the centre itself indicated that over a third (36%) of breast cancer patients lack knowledge regarding what secondary breast cancer entails. Ms Fahey commented that she and the women she photographed “feel an overwhelming sense of urgency and determination to get the message out there about secondary breast cancer”. Nathalie Gibbs, from Kent, is one of the subjects featured in Ms Fahey’s exhibition. She received a diagnosis of breast cancer that metastasized to her bones and ovaries in 2020, and subsequently, a secondary cancer diagnosis in her brain in 2023. Following 10 rounds of chemotherapy, she remains in treatment to control the disease. Her secondary diagnosis in 2023 occurred after she experienced headaches, neck pain, and what she believed to be a chest infection. She remarked: “Although signs of cancer spreading had been explained to me, I didn’t join the dots. I didn’t want to know. “I didn’t read all these signs as symptoms that the cancer had spread, although now I look back and can piece it all together.”” According to GenesisCare, between 10% and 40% of patients in the UK who are diagnosed with primary breast cancer later develop secondary breast cancer. Jimmy Kwok, the leader of the Guildford centre, stated: “Early detection can provide access to a broader range of treatment options, potentially improving both longevity and quality of life. “This exhibition highlights the importance of hope, and we are pleased that our centre can project this sense of optimism to our patients, their families, and visitors.”