A mother from Hull has credited her baby daughter with saving her life after the infant's refusal to breastfeed led to the discovery of a large cancerous tumour. Claire Granville, 40, noticed that her 13-month-old daughter Matilda suddenly stopped feeding from her left breast in April 2018.
Ms Granville, a nurse, initially puzzled by the behaviour, examined herself and found a lump. Despite her GP suggesting it was likely nothing serious, she insisted on further tests due to her daughter's reaction. An ultrasound later revealed a 10cm tumour behind her left nipple.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer that had already spread to 31 of her 33 lymph nodes. Ms Granville underwent a mastectomy, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She completed treatment in January and was given the all-clear.
Speaking of her daughter's role, Ms Granville said: 'It was as though she had literally sniffed it out and refused to go near it. She would turn her head away from it as soon as I held her near. By refusing to feed from my breast, Matilda has ended up saving my life.'
She added: 'I've heard that animals can sense when their owners have cancer, and it was as though Matilda could sense it in me too. Because I was able to get treatment swiftly, then it meant that my treatment has been successful.'
