Mum Charli steps up for cancer fundraiser

'NOTHING SERIOUS' LED TO SHOCK DIAGNOSIS AND MAJOR SURGERY

- HARRY LEACH News Reporter

A BIRMINGHAM mum says she's lucky to be alive after a routine health appointment led to a shock breast cancer diagnosis.

Mum-of-four Charli Spoerer mentioned a 'slight puckering' on her skin around her breast during an annual hormone check which she had dismissed as nothing serious.

But, following an urgent referral, Charli was shocked to find out she had a lump the size of a Malteser growing behind her right nipple, surrounded by a 5cm layer of precancerous cells.

"I just thought the changes were hormonal," said the Erdington teaching assistant.

"It never occurred to me it was anything serious. God knows how long I might have waited for it to spread before making a doctor's appointment so I feel very lucky."