Carol Fadel was just 42 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Western Sydney woman found the lump by chance one day, while inspecting herself in the mirror.
But Ms Fadel is one of the lucky ones.
Carol Fadel was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. Source: Supplied
“Within a couple of days I was seen by my doctor and we were talking about the next stage - which was surgery - and I opted for a mastectomy on the left side," she told SBS News.
“It was early enough I didn’t need radiation or chemo.”
It was a relief for Ms Fadel who said discussing cancer was “pretty much taboo”.
“In our household we never talked about it,” she said.
“We’d never say, ‘I did a check in the shower today', we just didn't talk about it.”
It’s an attitude Ms Fadel - who was born in Australia and is of Lebanese heritage - says is held by many families from Arabic-speaking backgrounds.
New research conducted by Dr Ghaith Helat, a breast oncoplastic surgeon from Westmead Hospital, has found women born in Arabic-speaking countries and now living in Australia are being diagnosed with more aggressive forms of breast cancer, and at later stages than those born in Australia.
Dr Helat and Ms Fadel look over her scans. Source: Supplied
The advanced cancers mean the women also more likely to have to undergo chemo, or radiation therapy.
Arabic is an official language of 25 different nations around world.
Dr Helat began the study in 2011 after observing the inconsistencies between his Arab and non-Arab patients.
From Jordan himself, he spoke extensively with each of his 140 Arab-born patients to better understand why they were presenting with more high-risk breast cancers. The study comprised of 2,088 participants in total.
“Arabic women present more often with symptoms of breast cancer, like a lump, rather than having it found through a mammogram,” he told SBS News.
“Finding it through means of self-detection often means the cancer is more developed.”
Dr Helat’s research is being unveiled at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 88th Scientific Congress being held in Bangkok this week.
Carol Fadel receiving a mammogram. Source: Supplied
His findings have been echoed in many Arabic-speaking countries – where the incidence of breast cancer has substantially increased in recent years, and diagnosis is late.
Only one third of Qatari women are reportedly participating in any type of breast screening.
Dr Helat said many of these figures come down to the same issue – women from Arabic-speaking countries aren’t talking about breast cancer, and are avoiding getting checked.
"Arabic women have a lower rate of attendance at breast screening programs. We believe it is due to language or cultural barriers," he said.
These ‘barriers’ all too familiar to the executive director of the Multicultural Centre for Women's Health in Melbourne Adele Murdolo, who told SBS News she has major concern for not only Arab women in Australia, but all migrant women who are not attending breast screenings.
“We're seeing drops in screening rates across the board, so even women who have been in Australia for a much longer period, like Greek and Italian women, have lower rates of breast screening."
Australian health facilities say they are attempting to improve the way they inform, and interact with migrant women.
Many breast screening centres are now solely run by female radiographers - who perform mammograms - in a bid to encourage attendance.
Many Australian breast screening clinics are solely run by female radiographers. Source: Supplied
Interpreters are also available, and pamphlets in multiple languages can be accessed at most screening clinics.
But Ms Murdolo says, engaging in culturally relevant discussions is also imperative.
“Peer education is key,” she said.
“Women who have been through similar situations in migrating to Australia, who can understand the cultural context, and who are able to communicate in women's language, is the very best way to communicate with women on that issue."
It’s a role Ms Fadel has proudly taken on.
She’s already sent her mother, sister and niece in for a mammogram, and speaks openly with her friends and family.
“Breast cancer is pretty much curable. We just need to make sure everybody knows how to catch it.”
To get advice on checking your breasts and more information on breast cancer visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
