S7 Ep6: Understanding a triple negative breast cancer diagnosis (Nikki Wheatley)

In this episode of the Breast Cancer Now podcast, Nikki Wheatley talks to Laura about her experience being diagnosed with triple negative, and later metastatic breast cancer.

Nikki shares how she both finds and spreads hope, five years on from her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis. She discusses her work with the change and check campaign.

They discuss what triple negative breast cancer means, and why it can be harder to treat. Nikki discusses how she manages living with metastatic breast cancer day-to-day, managing the side effects of her treatments and looking after her mental well-being.

Nikki also talks about how she has found parenting with cancer and where she has found support, in places like the Fruitfly collective, Ruth Strauss foundation and Maggie's. They talk about the importance of self-advocacy and early detection, and how she hopes to help others by sharing her story.

Key Topics:

01:20 Getting to know Nikki

02:10 Explaining what triple negative breast cancer is

03:01 Nikki's diagnosis

05:55 The word "aggressive" in relation to triple negative

07:20 Finding out the cancer had spread

11:40 Nikki's signs and symptoms of metastatic breast cancer

16:38 Hearing "the cancer had spread to your brain"