Scots mum is fourth generation of family with breast cancer
She was in the fourth generation of her family to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
But after receiving the devastating news that she had the same disease that had killed her aunt and great grandmother, trainee GP Gosia Wardrop was determined to prove to her children that “mummy is stronger than ever”.
The 39-year-old, from Dalkeith, Midlothian, had a mastectomy last year after tests found she had a malignant tumour.
Gosia, who works at Sighthill Green Medical Practice in Edinburgh, fought back at the weekend by taking on a marathon for charity.
She wanted to prove to her two young children, Lottie, seven, and five-year-old Charlie she was fitter than ever, despite receiving treatment for the disease.
Gosia, who is married to lawyer Andrew, 45, represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 in the 100 metres.
Her mother is a breast cancer survivor after being diagnosed when Gosia was a child.
She said: “I am the fourth generation in my family to get breast cancer – my mum, her aunt and my great grandmother all had breast cancer. Both my great grandmother and my mum’s aunt sadly did not survive the disease.
“My mum is still alive today, thanks to improvements in breast cancer treatment over the last 100 years.
“Thankfully, I caught the cancer early and have since been given the all clear. I now want to give something back to support life-saving breast cancer research.
“As well as supporting breast cancer research, I want to prove to my children that their old mummy is back. They saw first-hand as I went through my breast cancer treatment, and witnessed the highs and lows of this. I want to show them that their mummy is back and is stronger, fitter and healthier than ever.”
Gosia ran the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on Saturday to raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s research.