"We Should Never Have Taken Your Breast Off'" - Woman's Breast Removed After She Was Misdiagnosed With Cancer

Story out of Darwin, Australia:

Two women had their breasts removed unnecessarily after being misdiagnosed with cancer at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

One of the women, Rachel (not her real name), shared her story with 7.30 in the hope of helping others avoid the nightmare she endured.

In July 2013, after getting a routine mammogram, she had a biopsy tested at the Royal Darwin Hospital and a senior surgeon brought her the devastating news that she had breast cancer and her whole left breast would need to be removed "urgently".

"And it was performed rather quickly, within two weeks," she said.

Just weeks later, Rachel was called in to see her surgeon at the hospital.

"And that's when he said to me: 'I've got good news and bad news to tell you: the good news is you don't have breast cancer. The bad news is you never did have breast cancer and we should never have taken your breast off'."

Slowly Rachel began to realise the full magnitude of the error.

"I lost faith in the medical system in Darwin. In fact, after it happened to me, all the colleagues I worked with said, 'Oh, don't you know? You live in Darwin. The saying is: you feel the pain, book a plane. And this information came to me after, a little bit late." Cont.

Story from - ABC.net