'Triple-negative breast cancer hit me like a freight train.’ | Pink Hope TNBC Project

Being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer shortly after giving birth to her second daughter, Keely was not only juggling the challenges of chemotherapy, being postpartum, and taking care of her newborn and a 4-year-old but also facing confusing test results.

‘The PET scans after finishing rounds of chemo were very confusing. All these things were showing up throughout my bones, and the activity in my lungs had gotten worse. My primary tumour, all the activity in my breast and lymph nodes on that side, was completely gone. We were all really, really confused.

‘But it also meant that my mastectomy was cancelled. Being offered a mastectomy meant I was savable. But now it’s being put on hold, so maybe I wasn't? I was devastated.’

Update: In January 2024, Keely discovered that her triple-negative breast cancer had returned, this time to her brain. It is now classified as metastatic, placing her cancer into the ‘incurable’ category. Despite the classification, there are many maintenance treatments available to help Keely enjoy life with her family for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the recommended treatment is not currently listed on the PBS.

Keely’s friend, Sarah, has set up a GoFundMe on her behalf. You can read more about Keely’s update and make a donation here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Tottieandp...
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‘Beyond the Diagnosis: Confronting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer’ unfolds as a 3-part documentary series by Pink Hope, sharing the compelling stories of Keely, Rhiannon, and Susan, all navigating the challenges of triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 15% of all breast cancer diagnoses in Australia each year. This aggressive form of cancer predominantly affects younger women, resulting in poorer clinical outcomes, including higher relapse rates and lower survival rates.

By giving a voice to these patients and sharing their lived experiences, this documentary series serves as a call to action, advocating for early detection, better support, further research, and medical advancements for triple-negative breast cancer with Australian political decision-makers.

Director & Producer: Arielle Thomas
Executive Producer: Lisa Caterina
Production Co-ordinator: Molly Smith
Cinematographer: Matthew Jenkins
Editor: Lyreca Corloncito
Assistant Editor: Isabella Watson
Colourist: Daniel Witt
Sound Mixer: Mark D’Angelo

A special thank you to the Langshaw/Burns family.

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