A breast cancer diagnosis can be devastating at any age, but for Doctrine co-founder Caoimhe Donoghue, it was especially difficult as she had just given birth to her second child a few months earlier.
Caoimhe wasn’t expecting to be told she had cancer at age 32, but about 7% of breast cancer cases every year are in women under 40; that number rises to 25% of women under 50.
BreastCheck national public screening starts at 50, so women under this age need to be vigilant about checking their breasts and knowing the early signs that something has changed. It has been a year since her diagnosis, and to mark the occasion, Caoimhe’s Doctrine skincare brand has turned its famous blue cleansing balm pink to support Breast Cancer Ireland.
Caoimhe Donoghue, Doctrine
Before diagnosis, Caoimhe & the original Divinity Cleansing Balm Pic: Supplied
Caoimhe has bravely shot a campaign showing her scars to mark the launch, but she has had a tough year. She says, ‘I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer at just 32, only a few months after having my second baby. I’m one of the lucky ones. I trusted my instincts and got it checked as soon as I noticed a change, and it’s a good thing I did, as my tumour doubled in size within just a few weeks.’
‘Having completed chemo, a mastectomy and radiation, I wanted to take my experience and turn it into something good,’ she says. ‘So this October, my brand Doctrine is launching a limited-edition Pink Divinity Balm, with 20% of every sale donated to Breast Cancer Ireland.’
Family Support
Caoimhe’s breast cancer treatment over the last year has been intense, and she’s grateful for the support of friends and family. ‘One of the things I’m most grateful for is how supported I was through it all. My husband was incredible. He works shifts, so he could rejig his hours and come in later when I was having treatment or bad days, and really be there for the kids. We still had a mortgage to pay and bills to pay. The bills don’t stop just because you get diagnosed with cancer, unfortunately.’
Caoimhe and her girls Pic: Supplied
‘My eldest daughter actually turned three after my second round of chemo. She was in crèche, and we made a conscious decision to keep her routine as much as possible, so life just carried on as normal for her. On the really bad days when I couldn’t manage, I would stay up in my Mam’s house, and we told her that Mammy was away working. I think keeping things as normal as possible for the girls helped me too.’
Breast Cancer Treatment
No two breast cancer treatments are the same, and Caoimhe is thankfully over the worst of it. ‘I’m feeling good,’ she says. ‘I’m definitely not the same person I was this time last year, but I suppose that’s to be expected. I’m still dealing with a lot of the side effects from chemo – brain fog, fatigue, nails falling off, hair growing back, bone pain and being put into a chemical menopause at 33 certainly wasn’t part of the plan. I had wanted more children, but I’ll be in a chemical menopause for the next five years. My cancer was HER2-positive and oestrogen-positive, so the menopause is part of my ongoing treatment to reduce the risk of it coming back.’
Caoimhe during chemo treatment Pic: Supplied
‘Personally, I found the chemo the hardest part. You are literally poisoning your body, and no matter how much you read about the side effects beforehand, nothing really prepares you for how it feels. I actually thought the mastectomy would affect me much more than it did. I had always assumed that would be the part I’d struggle with most, but it really wasn’t.’
Post-Treatment
Caoimhe Donoghue & the Pink Divinity Cleansing Balm Pic: Supplied
Caoimhe chose to display her mastectomy scars in the campaign for the limited-edition Pink Divinity Balm. She says, The only thing I sometimes wish I had done differently was have a double mastectomy. My surgeon advised that it wasn’t necessary, so I didn’t, and I suppose I’ve just had to accept that decision. I don’t think I’ll have reconstruction either. I’m actually proud of my scars. For me, they’re a reminder, particularly for my girls, that you can be different and still be beautiful and strong. They’re a reminder of what I’ve been through and, ultimately, that I got through it.’
Caoimhe and her girls Pic: Supplied
‘On the really bad days, when I couldn’t get out of bed, that was all I wanted. I didn’t miss the designer bags or lavish holidays. I missed hugging and kissing my girls. Getting sick has really put life into perspective for me and made me realise what actually matters, how important your family and friends are, and who is really there for you. Times like these show you who you can count on, and sometimes that surprises you. So while it’s been an incredibly difficult year, it’s also brought some positives.’
You can buy the Pink Divinity Cleansing Balm here on Doctrine’s website. 20% of the €41 price tag will go to Breast Cancer Ireland.