Meet ARC's new Health Coach: 'It's a full-circle moment – ARC was there for me when I had breast cancer'

Pearl Letlotlo Olesitse was just 36 when she discovered a small lump in her right breast in 2019.

“At first, I tried to convince myself it might be a hormonal change or something harmless. But deep down, I knew it wasn't supposed to be there.”

Pearl, originally from Botswana, was living in Ireland at the time, thousands of miles from her family. She was also still grieving the loss of her mother, who had died from breast cancer just four years earlier.

Following an urgent referral, Pearl underwent an examination, ultrasound and biopsy. The diagnosis was breast cancer.

“I felt as though the ground had dropped from beneath me. I was 36 years old, living in a foreign country while my family was thousands of miles away in Botswana, and I was still grieving the loss of my mother.”

After several operations, culminating in a mastectomy and reconstruction in January 2020, Pearl completed five years of endocrine treatment with Tamoxifen.

The physical recovery was difficult, but so too was the emotional impact of having cancer.

“I understood hospitals, treatments and medical language, but always from the professional side of the relationship. Suddenly, the nurse became the patient.”

During her treatment, Pearl discovered ARC Cancer Support Centres through information provided at the hospital. Living close to ARC’s South Circular Road centre, she decided to visit.

“At first, I found it difficult to accept that I might need help myself. I had always been the person caring for other people.”

“The support groups gave me a safe place to share my fears, grief and hopes with people who understood what I was experiencing. They reminded me that I did not have to carry the burden alone.”

She also took part in ARC’s Empower Menopause programme, which helped her understand and manage the effects of treatment-induced menopause.

After being discharged from oncology in July 2025 with the news that she was all clear, Pearl’s relationship with ARC continued to evolve.

In June 2024, she completed the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon while raising funds for ARC. Today, she has returned to ARC as a volunteer Health Coach.

“It feels like a meaningful full-circle moment. There was a time when I entered ARC needing a safe place and compassionate support. I am now returning not only as a breast cancer survivor, but as someone who can walk alongside others as they begin to rebuild their lives.”

“Cancer can be part of our story without becoming the whole story.”

To book a free Health Coaching session with Pearl, please call 012150250 or email info@arccancersupport.ie

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month as more than 3,600 women and around 30 men are diagnosed with the disease each year in Ireland.

Breast Cancer Symptoms include:

The symptoms you get depend on the type of breast cancer you have. They can include:

• A lump or thickening in your breast or armpit
• A change in size or shape of your breast such as one breast becoming larger than the other
• A change in the skin of your breast, such as puckering, ridges or dimpling (the skin may look like orange peel) or redness
• A breast abscess or boil - this may appear as a red, tender area on your breast.
• A change in your nipple, such as a pulled in, sunken or flattened nipple.
• An unusual discharge (liquid) from one or both of your nipples. The discharge may be blood stained or watery.
• A change on or around the nipple such as a rash or flaky or crusted skin
• Swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
• Soreness or warmth (inflammatory breast cancer)
• A red scaly rash on one nipple, which may itch or burn (Paget’s disease of the breast)
• Breast pain alone is rarely a symptom of breast cancer but it’s always best to talk to your doctor (GP).
• Get to know what’s normal for you and how your breasts look and feel.
• Check your breasts once a month.
• The week after your period is a good time, as your breasts will generally be less lumpy and tender. If you do not get periods, check your breasts the first day of each month.
• It’s important to check your breasts regularly. You have a better chance of cure and recovery if breast cancer is diagnosed early, before it has grown bigger or spread to other parts of the body.

How can I check myself?

Breast Cancer Screening Ireland

Breast screening helps find cancer at an early stage when you are well and have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer.

If breast cancer is found early, it’s easier to treat and there’s a better chance of recovery.

Who is eligible for breast screening

BreastCheck is the name of the national breast screening programme.

We offer free breast screening to women age 50 to 69.

You must be living in Ireland and have a PPS number.

Read more about breast screening here

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, donate to ARC Cancer Support Centres to help provide free counselling to families who need it most.