Woman and her dog both have breast cancer

By Olivia Stringer

A woman who got a dog to help her through a second breast cancer diagnosis was shocked when her pooch was struck by the same disease — and also needed a mastectomy.

Vickie Doogan, 52, was first diagnosed with breast cancer aged 39, after discovering a lump in her left arm.

Vickie was shocked as she was fit and healthy, but thankfully responded to chemotherapy well and bounced back after her treatment.

However, aged 44, she was diagnosed again, and went through a double mastectomy, to lower the chances of the cancer returning for a third time.

She got Dolly, a poochon, to support her during her recovery, but seven years later, in February 2026, the roles were reversed, when Dolly was also diagnosed with breast cancer too, after Vickie took her to the vets as she had stomach pain.

The pooch had to go through a doggy mastectomy but thankfully bounced back as quickly as her owner.

The pair are now both cancer-free, and Vickie is keen to show that you can live a full life, despite a cancer diagnosis.

Vickie, a recruiter, from Ascot, Berkshire, said: "When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I was absolutely floored.

"I was 39, fit, healthy, and there was no lump in my breast.

"Chemo was brutal but thankfully I responded well to it.

"In 2018, when I was diagnosed again, I just couldn't believe it.

"I found out I have the altered BRCA2 gene, meaning I'm more predisposed to breast cancer, so I had an elective double mastectomy.

"The surgery was amazing; I had implants put in the next day.

"I got Dolly after my second diagnosis to be my buddy, as I was at home a lot.

"She's like my shadow, she's the most perfect little dog.

"In February 2026, I took Dolly to the vet as she had an upset stomach, and they found a lump under one of her nipples.

"The vet said she needed to have a mastectomy, I was so shocked, I didn't even know dogs could have mastectomies.

"She bounced back just as well as I did, people said it's like she's mirroring how I dealt with it.

"Now I'm living my best life again, it's all in my past.

"I want people to know that although breast cancer is scary, you can still live a really full life."

More from this section

5 tips for living a nontoxic life

Skinny isn’t the same as strong

What type of asthma inhaler is right for you?

Vickie first realized something wasn't right in November 2013, as she noticed a dull pain under her arm.

"I was the fittest and healthiest I'd ever been and I was really looking forward to turning 40," she said.

At first, she thought the pain could be due to swollen glands under her arm, but after feeling a lump, her intuition told her it was something more.

She went to her GP who referred her to a Breast Care Unit, where she had a biopsy, which showed that she had invasive breast cancer which had migrated to her arm.

The diagnosis shocked and angered Vickie as she was fit and healthy, and there hadn't been a lump on her breast.

She was immediately put on eight rounds of "brutal" chemotherapy which she thankfully responded to well, and then had a lumpectomy to remove the remaining bit of cancer.

After 15 rounds of radiotherapy and a year and a half of taking monthly estrogen blockers, Vickie was delighted to be cancer-free.

She began embracing life again, but following her fifth annual mammogram in 2018, she was shocked to discover that the cancer had returned.

Doctors were shocked the cancer had returned, due to her age, and she underwent genetic testing, where it was discovered, she has the altered BRCA2 gene, meaning she is more predisposed to breast cancer.

"It made perfect sense to me; I was glad to have some reasoning behind it," Vickie said.

She went back for more chemotherapy, and due to the genetic mutation, Vickie had an elective double mastectomy, to lower the risk of the cancer returning.

Thankfully, the surgery went well, and Vickie was able to have reconstruction on the same day.

During her recovery, Vickie decided to get a dog, to help her feel calmer and more comfortable while she was at home.

She brought Poochon Dolly home with her in October 2018.

She immediately fell in love with the pooch, but in February 2026, she noticed that Dolly had an upset stomach.

She took her to the vet, who examined her and found a lump under one of her nipples.

Dolly had to have a "doggy mastectomy" to remove the cancer, and fortunately, as it was low grade, didn't need any follow up treatment.

The duo are now both cancer-free and living their best lives.

Vickie is one of the people affected by breast cancer in Breast Cancer Now's new television advert.

She is supporting charity Breast Cancer Now, as new figures reveal that there are almost one million people (920,000) people living with or beyond a diagnosis of breast cancer in the UK, a figure projected to rise to over 1.4 million by 2050.

The charity has committed to be 'Breast Cancer Now until we're Breast Cancer Never' — in line with its bold ambition that by 2050, everyone with breast cancer will live and live well.