2017 was going to be a big year for Florence Moon. She was turning 50 in September, and planning on having a big bash to celebrate the milestone.
But one day in May she noticed her right breast was red, swollen, and tender to the touch. She hoped it would go away on its own but weeks went by and her symptoms didn't improve.
The mum-of-four went to see her GP, who referred her to a breast cancer clinic. Florence, who is originally from France but now lives in Tunbridge Wells, had a mammogram and ultrasound.
The test results came back clear so doctors gave her a course of antibiotics, but two months went by and there was no improvement. Eventually, the clinic did a biopsy.
A life-changing cancer diagnosis, grueling treatments, and single mastectomy inspired Florence to create a brand for women on the same journey. Speaking about the day she was diagnosised, Florence said: "I was supposed to fly to France on the day of the biopsy results. I asked the surgeon if I should cancel the flight in case of bad news.
"He was pretty sure that it wasn't cancer - he said the only thing it could be was a very rare cancer. He said that there was a 98% chance it wasn't (cancer) and that I didn't need to cancel my flight.
"My husband came with me to get the results. I was worried, what if I was in the 2%? I was 49 at the time and getting ready for a big 50th birthday party in September."
She continued: "Everything became very blurry. I didn't feel anything when the surgeon told me I had cancer. He said I had inflammatory breast cancer and it's very rare and aggressive.
"He also told me I was going to have a single mastectomy. The news was too big for me to understand and assimilate."
Inflammatory breast cancer is a very aggressive disease in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. It's called “inflammatory” cancer because the breast often looks swollen and red, or inflamed.
Following the devastating diagnosis Florence underwent various tests and treatments for months, including chemotherapy. In December 2017 Florence underwent a single mastectomy on her right breast, followed by the removal of 11 armpit nodes where the cancer had spread.
Florence says: "I still had cancerous cells left in my body, but the surgeon thought that chemotherapy and radiotherapy would get rid of them. In March 2018, I had radiotherapy, then hormone therapy - a pill taken daily for a minimum of five years. I also did a drug trial."
In 2019 Florence decided to visit a reconstructive specialist who would be able to rebuild her right breast using tissue from other parts of her body. However, she choose not to undergo the invasive procedure.
"I was tired of being scared and did not want to spend more time in the hospital," she said: "My mental health was poor. I felt mutilated and like I'd lost myself. I was very ashamed of my body and didn't want anyone to see it, even my loved ones.
At the time Florence wore a silicon breast every day, she says: "It never crossed my mind that I could live with my one-breasted body just the way it was. I wore a silicone prosthesis that I cleaned every evening and slid back in my bra every morning. It reminded me of my cancer and that my body was missing a breast."
But one day, while listening to a podcast about breast cancer, Florence had a 'light bulb' moment that completely changed her perspective and inspired her to remove her silicone prosthesis. She said: "This decision made me feel powerful because I took control of my narrative. I looked for a bra with one flat side but I couldn't find anything. I was surprised that it didn't exist.
"That's why I decided to create my own designs. I thought of my friend Marta who was very good at sewing. She made me a bikini prototype, with a flat side. I loved it and asked her to help me to create Eno, a brand of bras and swimwear for people with one breast.
"It took us two years to develop our products. The pandemic made it very difficult and also neither of us had worked in the fashion world before." In 2022 the brand officially launched, releasing a collection of four capsule items - a bra, a sports bra, an all-in-one swimwear and a bikini set.
Florence said: "Our bras and swimwear are stylish and comfortable. It was very important for us to make something that women will feel good in. I am now dedicated to spreading the word about the benefits of living as a 'uniboober'. I want to increase the representation of one-breasted beauties.
"The thing I love about my job the most is making a positive impact on someone who went through a single mastectomy, to give them another option than to replicate what they had once. I also like sharing my story in the hope that it will be a lightbulb moment for somebody else."
