In May 2021, I found a lump in my right breast the size of a toonie. But it took 6 long months to get tests, a diagnosis and finally surgery to remove the aggressive cancer. It had grown twice in size and as a result the scarring is larger. It grew minutely every month, and was almost 5 centimeters when it was finally removed. By the time I went into surgery you could see the lump through my shirt. Guidelines recommend imaging for cancers within 30 days, but during the pandemic, patients like myself have experienced delays stretching for months. All those weeks waiting to find out was just as damaging. It takes a toll on your family, your mental and physical health, I wasn’t able to work once I was diagnosed.