A young woman from Sittingbourne, who was repeatedly told she was too young to have breast cancer, has revealed she is now living on borrowed time following a terminal diagnosis.
Shanice Bennett was just 23 years old when she first discovered a lump, but her initial concerns were dismissed by her GP.
A Dismissed Diagnosis
Shanice explained that her GP initially passed her off, insisting she was too young for breast cancer. After leaving it, she felt compelled to return and push for a referral due to her family history, as her aunt had also battled the disease. Even then, she was reportedly told that nothing would likely come from the investigation. Tragically, something did.
In May 2023, Shanice received a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis. Her treatment was aggressive, involving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a mastectomy, and the removal of all her lymph nodes. By March of the following year, she had finished her treatment and was declared to be in remission.
The Devastating Return
Believing she was in the clear, Shanice began experiencing back pain, which she initially dismissed as fatigue. However, the pain intensified dramatically. A few months later, it became so severe she could not get out of bed or dress herself.
After a trip to A&E, she received the shattering news that very same day: her cancer had returned and was now stage 4, having metastasised to her bones, lungs, and liver. This diagnosis is incurable.
She recalled her shock, having been certain that her youth and completed treatment would protect her. The 26-year-old has since been admitted to hospital twice with sepsis and also suffers from hypercalcemia, a condition involving excessive calcium in the body.
Living a Bucket List Dream
Without a specific timeline from her doctors, Shanice has chosen to focus on positivity and creating lasting memories. She has compiled a bucket list and is sharing her journey with her 22,000 followers on TikTok.
Her accomplishments so far are poignant. She has taken her seven-year-old nephew to Disneyland Paris, visited New York with her family, and watched her mother get married in Cyprus. Future plans include a trip to Rome, a holiday in Switzerland, a visit to Tokyo, and seeing Ariana Grande perform at the O2 Arena.
One of her top wishes is to see the upcoming Hunger Games film, Sunrise on the Reaping, ahead of its November 2026 release. A video she made appealing to the studio, Lionsgate, has garnered nearly 400,000 views and a comment from an actress in the film.
A former police officer, Shanice has set up a GoFundMe to help fund her bucket list goals. Any remaining funds will go towards end-of-life costs and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Her story emerges alongside a petition calling for the age of routine mammograms for women to be lowered to 40 and performed annually. The current NHS breast screening programme in England is offered every three years to women aged 50 to 70. The petition has already gained over 15,000 signatures, potentially triggering a parliamentary debate.
Chemotherapy nurse Gemma Reeves emphasised the shifting landscape, stating, "We used to treat patients who were a lot older. Things change. Early detection makes a huge difference."
