Hearing the words “You have breast cancer” is one of the most terrifying moments a woman can face.
Even though breast cancer affects about one in eight women during their lifetime, the diagnosis still hits like a bombshell.
For many, the immediate question that haunts them is, “Why me?”
This question can feel especially cruel when you’ve tried to live healthily, avoiding all the known risks.
But for others, who might have had a more complicated relationship with their health or lifestyle choices, the blame can feel almost impossible to shake off.
One woman who knows this struggle all too well is Corrine Barraclough — a former magazine editor turned rehabilitation specialist who has traveled the world but has also battled a serious alcohol problem in her past.
A Past Shadowed by Alcohol and Risky Choices
Corrine’s story isn’t an easy one. She openly shares how alcohol almost cost her her life multiple times.
There were nights when she’d wake up with no memory of how she got home or what happened in between, and even a terrifying fall down a flight of stairs that knocked out her front teeth.
At her lowest point, battling alcohol-fueled depression, she once drank bleach in a desperate moment. But it wasn’t until seven years after getting sober that alcohol would strike again in the most dangerous way — through breast cancer.
One day, Corrine felt a hard lump in her breast.
A mammogram, biopsies, and numerous doctor visits soon followed, and at 48 years old, she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
Alcohol and Breast Cancer The Science Behind the Link
Corrine is convinced that her past drinking contributed to her diagnosis — and she’s not alone.
There’s mounting scientific evidence that alcohol plays a major role in the development of breast cancer.
In 2019, researchers from the University of New South Wales conducted a large study analyzing data from over 200,000 Australian women.
They found that alcohol was the leading modifiable cause of breast cancer in premenopausal women, and the second leading cause after obesity in postmenopausal women.
Associate Professor Maarit Laaksonen, one of the lead researchers, explains that if Australian women stopped drinking alcohol, breast cancer cases could be significantly reduced, especially in younger women.
She shared that about 12.6% of breast cancer cases in premenopausal women could be prevented without alcohol consumption, with an important impact seen in postmenopausal women too.
No Safe Amount When It Comes to Breast Cancer Risk
One of the most concerning findings is that there’s truly no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to breast cancer.
Unlike many other cancers where risk increases with heavier drinking, breast cancer risk goes up even with very small amounts — even just one or two drinks a day can raise your chances significantly.
So, while you might have heard about the “health benefits” of a glass of red wine for your heart, this doesn’t apply to breast cancer risk.
The Myth of the “Healthy” Drink Explained
Professor Laaksonen points out that many studies showing health benefits from moderate drinking don’t always tell the full story.
Often, people who don’t drink include both lifelong abstainers and those who have quit drinking because of health problems — which can skew results.
When looking only at those who have never touched alcohol, the risk of death and disease is actually lowest.
Because of this, Laaksonen urges caution about promoting alcohol as healthy, especially since any amount increases breast cancer risk.
She even says alcohol should come with warning labels, just like cigarettes.
Corrine’s Journey Beyond Diagnosis and the Fight Against “Big Alcohol”
After a double mastectomy and six months of treatment, Corrine is now officially “NED” — meaning no evidence of disease — since September 2022.
She believes quitting alcohol early gave her a fighting chance.
“If I was still drinking, I might not have noticed the signs soon enough,” she says.
Her sobriety has never felt more vital, especially after a scare this serious.
But Corrine is also angry — angry at how normalized and glamorized drinking is, especially with aggressive advertising targeting women.
She believes the alcohol industry, or “Big Alcohol,” has a lot to answer for.
Empowering Women to Make Informed Choices
Researchers emphasize their work isn’t about blaming women for their diagnosis, but about giving them the tools to understand risk factors they can control.
Corrine sums it up beautifully: “There’s no point in guilt or regret.
I just want to use what I’ve been through to help others.”
Her message is one of hope and strength — staying sober and taking care of yourself can make all the difference, even in the face of breast cancer.
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or breast cancer fears, Corrine’s story is a powerful reminder that awareness and choices matter.