Harborough mum-of-two determined to beat breast cancer after being diagnosed with condition at age of 33
A mum-of-two from Harborough says she is determined to follow in her own mother’s footsteps of winning a battle with cancer, after being diagnosed with the condition at the age of 33.
Kinga Kalinowska received the devastating news in November 2025 that she had stage three breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma and two lumps.
She has been undergoing MRI screenings for the past four years after her own mum was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 48.
Kinga now faces weekly chemotherapy treatment, which is expected to last more than six months, and making significant changes to her life and routine.
She opened a small cleaning business called Perfectly Polished in 2024 and is unlikely to be able work for the next 12 months.
''I have gone through stages of various emotions - tearfulness, anger, upset,'' Kinga said.
''I have been asking why me, and why do I have to go through this at the age of 33 whilst bringing up two young children?''
Kinga says she hopes she can keep things as normal as possible for her two sons, Nathaniel, aged ten, and Jacob, six, during her treatment.
After 24 weeks of chemotherapy and three of immunotherapy, Kinga faces a double mastectomy with reconstruction at the end of her treatment.
She started the chemotherapy on January 8, but admits the prospect of what is to come is still a terrifying one.
''I have always been such an active, physically on the go person, constantly working, looking after my family, taking my son to football training five times a week, so this plan was and still is petrifying for me,'' Kinga said.
Kinga’s friends Chloe Wells and Cindy Dudson have launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to help her through the treatment.
The page has raised £4,787 at the time of writing, and Kinga said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the generous donations.
On the eve of starting chemotherapy, Kinga ‘braved the shave’, saying she wanted to take her hair away before cancer did.
"My older son Nathaniel and our friend Ozi from Istanbul barbers helped me shave my head and Ozi did it with me in an act of solidarity,” said Kinga.
“My friends Chloe and her son Benji, Cindy and her grandson Leon, Shantelle and her mum, Danielle, my mum and my sister gave me the strength that day. Chloe and Cindy opened a go fund me page for me to ease the pressure of having to undergo weekly treatments, continues visits to hospital and costs associated with it as for the next 12 months I won't be able to work (https://gofund.me/4194d8c6f).
"Everyone who shared and donated showed me such kindness and me and my family are overwhelmed with generosity and love shown to us.”
Kinga is also keen to raise awareness about how the disease can happen to anyone saying: ''Since my diagnosis I have been talking very openly about cancer and the struggles around it and I am trying to spread awareness on social media as cancer can happen to anyone, at any age, even if you are the most fit and healthy person.
''It is so important to check any lumps, any changes to skin, and to ask for genetic testing if there are members of your family who have suffered with cancer.''