Sue Holloway

Sue Holloway was the first woman to join the IBIS-II trial and the first to complete trial medication in February 2008.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29 and subsequently died at age 44. Seeing how devastating breast cancer had been for my mother prompted me to join the IBIS-II trial.

If I could be part of trying to prevent this disease, I wanted to be. Being on the trial was so simple. I took one tablet a day at bedtime and had a very helpful and supportive nurse who gave me regular blood tests and yearly mammograms.

I think that if you don’t try you don’t succeed. By joining the IBIS-II trial I felt like I was helping further research into breast cancer as well as protecting myself as much as possible.

It’s about putting all the pieces of the jigsaw together and hopefully we will find out how we can halt this disease.

Caroline Bundy

Because cancer is a disease that affects so many families today I wanted to do something to try to help. My family has been affected by cancer and breast cancer in particular. My mother and sister both survived but only because of swift diagnosis and treatment and a great deal of support and care.

I willingly entered this trial because, being at high risk, it is quite likely that I may contract the disease too, and like thousands of other women, it is something I dread. By being on the trial at least I feel that I am helping the research into finding ways of improving treatment but more importantly ways to prevent me and others getting it at all.

I know I will only be a tiny little statistic in the research, but if we can get lots more 'little statistics', we can really make an input into finding the way forward to achieving the prevention of breast cancer for women at high risk.

Doreen Dungworth

I started on the Ibis 1 trial after seeing a letter in our local paper, put out by Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, for volunteers to join the trial.

My Mother was 45 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer (in 1958) and died 6 months later, I was 14. I always had a fear that I would also develop it, and not live to see my own daughters pass their 14th birthdays, or that they may develop breast cancer, and with this in mind I contacted Huddersfield hospital and commenced the trial very quickly. I had 5years on the trial and was later contacted to see if I would consider joining the Ibis11 trial, which I did, and finish this in March.

The regular checks have been very reassuring, I had one scare which was dealt with, with kindness & efficiency. I have had no problems taking either medication and would gladly take part in any future trials should they happen.

Yes, I not only lived to see my daughters pass their 14th birthdays, but also my two Granddaughters! My hope now, is that this research benefits them and future generations.