Mum says ‘check your neck’

When the Lisburn mum noticed she had a lump on her neck the size of a pea little did she realise how it would rock her life.

Just as she was looking forward to taking a few years out from her fast-pace marketing job to look after her three young daughters, she was shocked to learn that she had thyroid cancer.

Karen Gribbon (40) and husband Conor (41) have three daughters, Rachel (10), Molly (6) and Lara (3). They had never heard of thyroid cancer when she was diagnosed in March 2012 and Karen believes strongly that more awareness is needed. As part of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month she urges everyone to regularly ‘check your neck’.

“Thyroid cancer is rare -  the most common symptom is a painless lump or swelling in your neck. You might also get unexplained hoarseness, difficulty breathing and swallowing, and pain in your neck. If you are concerned about anything I’d urge you to see your doctor right away,” she said.

In March, Karen set up her own blog called Raising Mighty Girls, which is mostly about her busy family life, but she also hopes it will also help raise awareness of thyroid cancer. Her blog was an instant success and within months was nominated in the Blog Ireland Awards. And she’s delighted that other bloggers who have been affected by the cancer have been in touch with her.

“After my treatment I found it difficult to find anyone who had had this type of cancer to talk to and share experiences with, so I thought a blog would be a good way of reaching others in the same boat. I love to think that something I write may help someone else with thyroid cancer,” she said.

Cancer Focus NI has posted her story on its website to help highlight the disease along with the signs and symptoms to look out for.

It was back in 2009 that Karen first went to her doctor with a small lump the size of a pea on her neck. It wasn’t until she was pregnant with Lara that the lump started to grow and after Lara was born it was decided to remove the goitre as a precaution, though biopsies indicated it was benign.

 “My consultant said that the cyst had been so large, about the size of an orange, that that they had removed the right thyroid lobe completely. The cancer cells were inside the growth which had not been picked up by previous biopsies,” she explained.

“You could have knocked me down with a feather. I was totally overwhelmed by the news. It felt like I was in living in a dream, it wasn’t real, especially as I had been feeling fine.

“But I’m a pretty positive person and my first thoughts were for Conor and the children – I thought, I’m 37, I have a young family who need me, I just have to be okay.  

“I was working in a high pressure marketing job at the time and I’d already decided I’d take a few years out to spend more time with the girls when they were young. Part of me was angry and I hated the cancer because it was stealing my dream of being at home with my children.

“Having cancer made me reassess my priorities. It slowed me down and made me take stock and reaffirmed that I was doing the right thing by giving up work for a few years to bring up my girls to be the best they can be.

“I’m getting used to a new normal for me – a life that includes regular check-ups and two pills daily for my thyroid, which are a constant reminder of cancer, but I’m delighted to say it doesn’t own me anymore. I’m moving on.

 “I try to make a positive out of the cancer, it can give you a new direction and focus in life. That’s my perspective on it.”

You can see more of Karen’s story at www.cancerfocusni.org, stories and you can see Karen’s blog on www.raisingmightygirls.blogspot.co.uk. For more information on thyroid cancer visit www.nhs.uk or www.cancer.ie.