A BREAST cancer survivor says her life was saved by her sports bra after it rubbed against a bump that turned out to be a tumour.

Sandra Greene, 54, from south Essex, was out for a run when her bra became uncomfortable and started to chafe on her chest.

When she checked at home, Sandra found a bumpy vein on her left breast - which was later confirmed to be breast cancer.

Sandra, a financial ombudsman, said: “It could have been a very different story if I hadn’t paid attention to my bra rubbing against my skin.

“Thank goodness I checked as my cancer was caught early.

“That sports bra saved my life.”

She added: “I was really getting into my training when I realised that my bra was rubbing my chest.

“It was a sports bra that I’d worn on many occasions and had always been comfortable, but, suddenly, it just felt wrong.

“It wasn’t a round lump. It felt more like a bumpy vein, so I wasn’t too concerned, but given my family history I decided to book an appointment with my GP.”

An MRI scan revealed Sandra had two tumours in her breast and she was diagnosed with multifocal lobular breast cancer.

The mum underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction in October and was placed on a seven-year course of hormone therapy.

Sandra, from Grays, lives with husband Neil and youngest son Callum, 16 - and said she is looking forward to a healthy life.

She said: “I feel so grateful to be here and I’m looking forward to the future.

“We’re hoping to go to America this year to visit my eldest son, Bradley, who’s there on a football scholarship, and hopefully meet up with so many people we couldn’t meet during lockdowns.

“And, of course, I’m looking forward to taking part in lots more running challenges.”

Sandra has encouraged people to take part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life to help raise money for research to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.