41-Year-Old Berkshire Woman Finds out She Has Breast Cancer after Visiting Camera Obscura

When you're traveling and visiting touristic sights, what would be the worst thing that can happen to you? Maybe discovering that you have cancer? 

41-year-old Bal Gill from Slough, Berkshire visited Camera Obscura & World of Illusions in May 2019, and during this trip, she found out that she had breast cancer. Of course, in this case, it's more life-saving. 

The Thermal Camera was installed in 2009 and it's a popular tourist attraction in Edinburgh. It lets visitors see an image of all the hot spots in their bodies.

When Gill stepped in front of a thermal-camera display, she saw a red heat patch coming from her left breast. Gill took a picture of the thermal-display and when returned home, she started to investigate and she discovered that thermal imaging cameras can be used as a tool by oncologists to diagnose cancer. 

After the incident, she decided to make an appointment with her doctor and she was indeed diagnosed with cancer. 

Bal Gill contacted the popular visitor attraction, to let them know about the situation and thank them.

Bal said: "I visited with my family in May 2019 during the school holidays. We had been to Edinburgh Castle and on the way down we saw the museum. While making our way through the floors we got to the thermal imaging camera room. As all families do, we entered and started to wave our arms and look at the images created.

While doing this I noticed a red heat patch coming from my left breast. We thought it was odd and having looked at everyone else they didn't have the same. I took a picture and we carried on and enjoyed the rest of the museum.

A few days later when we returned home I was flicking through my pictures and I saw the image. At this point, I searched on Google to see what this could mean and I saw a lot of articles about breast cancer and thermal imaging cameras. I made an appointment with the doctor and as it turns out, I do have breast cancer, thankfully really early stages. I have now had two surgeries and have one to go to prevent it from spreading.

I just wanted to say thank you: without that camera, I would never have known. I know it’s not the intention of the camera but for me, it really was a life-changing visit. I cannot tell you enough about how my visit to the Camera Obscura changed my life.”

Of course, this was sheer luck. Since it's October and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an international campaign to increase the awareness of breast cancer in women, you should go to a gynecologist and get a mammogram. 

Don't forget: for women around the age of 40-50, it's recommended to get mammograms at least every year.