Dr Liz O'Riordan: The breast cancer surgeon who got breast cancer

One thing life teaches you is how to cope with unpredictability. There are many times where we think we have it all figured out when in real sense, we don’t.

When cancer is mentioned, the mood in the room changes into a sad and sympathetic one. Most people relate cancer with death and suffering unlike other common illnesses like flu or tonsillitis.

If you have ever dealt with cancer, it’s evident how the illness can affect the quality of life. Diet changes and also lifestyle changes have to be made as you adjust to your new life. This however does not mean that you can’t live a fulfilling life all the same.

If you know someone close to you who has dealt with cancer, things can be very overwhelming. It’s not easy seeing someone you care about feeling down because of the cancer itself or because of the rigorous treatments that come with it.

Dealing with cancer is just not easy whether you are black, white, young or old. It can be diagnosed regardless of gender or occupation.

No respecter of status or profession, cancer does not discriminate who it affects. So you can imagine the shock and irony when the story of Dr Liz O'Riordan, a doctor, was diagnosed with the same type of cancer she treats, breast cancer.

To put it into context, this is but a summary of her journey and how she came out at the end of the tunnel.

Liz lived her life in a very promising field as a surgeon. She had been practicing for over 15 years and had gained a lot of recognition for many successful surgeries. In 2015, her life took a different path when news came in that she has breast cancer. Prior to her diagnosis, she had felt a lump in her breast and she knew that it wasn’t a good sign.

Being an expert in this field, it’s a different feeling when you receive the scans that show cancer irregularities in your body. For a long time, Liz was in denial about the whole thing until her mother urged her to get a scan.

‘’Like many women, I did not check my breasts. I thought, 'it's not going to happen to me - I'm a breast cancer surgeon'.’’ She told BBC News.

As a surgeon, you are expected to be the person giving hope rather than being a patient. It was difficult for her to come to terms with being on the other side of the illness.

At this point, even the strongest woman will crumble. This she truly understands after she felt the emotional effects of a cancer diagnosis. She had to deal with emotions such as fear of the unknown, anxiety and also other post traumatic stress disorders. At the same time, she dealt with the fear of letting her own patients and family know that she was dealing with cancer.

Terrified, she finally broke the news via her social media and in her own words she received an ‘’outpouring of support.’’

Due to how far it had spread, the doctor who eventually had to give up her career had to go through a mastectomy and also ovary extraction in order to remove the cancer. Like her patients, she had to endure radiotherapy and with this came other side effects that cancer patients usually go through.

‘’Most patients are drip-fed information. I saw that scan and I knew I'd need a mastectomy, knew I'd probably need chemo because I was young, and I had a good guess of what my chance of being alive in 10 years was, all in that split-second,’’ she shared.

Navigating through her struggle putting on a brave face for the sake of her patients and family, in 2018 her cancer returned to the same armpit. This was discovered while having a scan before her reconstructed breast-which was causing her a lot of pain, was removed.

Determined, she went back to work after her first bout with the cancer but it became emotionally challenging.

With the help of her colleagues, Dr O’Riordan resumed her career for the second time but decided to end her career as a surgeon four months later.

‘’It was bittersweet, and really, really hard saying goodbye.’’

On the more positive side, she finds a sense of fulfilment by being a motivational speaker and giving hope to those who are going through similar circumstances.

Dr O’Riordan has also learnt a few lessons from her experience with breast cancer and the impact of being diagnosed with something she had been treating for years. She has learnt that life is unpredictable. Sometimes things happen abruptly and you just have to find a way to hold on to your true purpose.

She also learnt that being physically active and exercising makes a huge difference. She has been able to stay strong and motivated throughout the years especially through her love for exercise. She also mentions that all cancers need equal attention regardless of the stage.

The good doctor remains an inspiration to many as she continues to find herself, giving millions hope through her book, talks, blogging and being an ambassador for Working with Cancer, a social enterprise she volunteers for.