Woman who had 'cold she couldn't shake' told she had year to live

Nicola has been fighting since her diagnosis but has reached the 'final treatment options'

A 37-year old woman was told she had less than a year to live after doctors said she had incurable breast cancer. Nicola Heart’s doctors said cancer had been found in her bones, liver and lungs. She was told to seek hospice care. But nearly five years on from her diagnosis, she is still fighting and living one day at a time.

Nicola said: “I thought my life was over. That turned out to be the furthest thing from the truth. I’ve had to learn to let go, accept what I can’t control, and embrace each moment as it comes. I had extensive bone metastases, my liver was incredibly painful, and my lungs were affected, making it hard to breathe. But the worst part was the pain – it was absolutely unbearable. Some days are harder than others, but I feel stronger than ever.” Despite enduring years of aggressive treatments and setbacks, Nicola has refused to let cancer dictate her life. “After my first year of treatment, I felt strong enough to start walking and exercising again,” she said. “I started making plans to travel with my son, taking him hiking through the jungles of Belize and Kauai. Those moments are when I feel most alive – being able to crawl through cave systems with him when just a couple of years ago I was told I had less than a year to live.” Nicola, who lost twins in 2018 and is now unable to have more children due to cancer, says her eight-year-old son is her greatest motivation. “He loves sports, and I love watching him play. He keeps me going,” she said. “I’ve had to accept that I’m not in control of this disease. I live in the now.”

The past year has been particularly gruelling, with Nicola undergoing multiple procedures, including a port placement, liver biopsy, and bone marrow biopsy, while also receiving countless blood transfusions. At one point, her blood counts were so low that she couldn't start her chemotherapy. “I’ve been in and out of the hospital, dealing with transfusion fevers and unbearable pain,” she said. “It’s been a whirlwind. I don’t even remember a lot of it.” In November, Nicola shared a heartbreaking update: she had reached the final medical options. “I’ve been trying to navigate the fact that I have arrived at my last line of treatment,” she said. “The last few weeks have been extremely tough – dealing with chemo side effects and cancer pain. “On top of that, it looks like I will lose my hair. I’m pissed. Losing my hair this late in the game feels really shitty. I don’t want my son to remember me without hair.” For years, Nicola has managed to maintain her hair using Penguin Cold Caps, a method designed to reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss. But now, she faces the prospect of losing a piece of herself. “There are so many ‘cute wigs and short hairstyles’ – but no, that’s not me. When I look in the mirror, I won’t recognise myself,” she said. Despite the setbacks, there have been glimmers of hope. Nicola, now 41, started new treatment Enhertu three months ago, and the results have been promising. “My pain has gone away, the metastases in my lungs have disappeared, my liver is shrinking again, and my tumour markers are coming down,” she revealed.

“I went from being put on hospice to where I am today – able to do most of the things I want to do and not be in pain.” Nicola has also been open about the symptoms that led to her initial diagnosis, warning others to be vigilant. “My symptoms included nipple discharge, a sudden change in breast size, a lump in my armpit, changes in skin texture like dimpling, extreme weight loss without trying, sleeping 13 hours a day, and never being able to recover from a common cold,” she said. Despite everything, Nicola continues to fight, adjusting to life on IV chemotherapy for the first time after years of oral treatment. “This is all new to me. It gets dark, not going to lie. But I keep reminding myself that I’m going to get through this, and things will start looking up soon.”