Identical twin sisters diagnosed with breast cancer within weeks of each other say they want to inspire others by sharing their journey on TikTok.
Amanda Mcinulty and Rhona Buchanan, now 51, have shared similar life experiences despite spending the past three decades separated by 300 miles.
Born just 14 minutes apart, the twins each have a son and a daughter, and even became grandmothers to two boys born within two weeks of each other.
They describe themselves as “absolutely inseparable,” keeping in close contact through daily calls and even claiming to share “sympathy pains.”
STV News“When Amanda’s eldest daughter was born, I went to bed, turned out the light and had this almighty pain in my stomach,” Rhona recalled. “I phoned her and she confirmed her waters had broken and she was heading into the hospital.”
Amanda added: “When I was five and my appendix burst, Rhona actually got taken into the hospital with sympathy pains. She didn’t want to miss out on the action, clearly.”
“She knows me more than I know myself, I think… Is that a bad thing?!”
Rhona first noticed a change in her left breast in January 2025, which prompted her to visit her GP.
Supplied“It was a kind of dimpling above my left nipple. The doctor initially couldn’t see anything but I didn’t think it was sinister.”
In April, Rhona was referred to the breast clinic to undergo an ultrasound and mammogram.
She realised something wasn’t right during the tests.
“It was taking a wee bit of time and I realised ‘this is taking longer than it should be.’ He was taking lots of pictures, asked for a pen to mark different locations.
“Then he said, ‘look give me five minutes and I’ll explain what I’ve seen.’ And I knew. I began to shake.”
STV NewsScans revealed multiple tumours in Rhona’s breast, which led to her being diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer.
The devastating news was delivered to Amanda – who lives in the Midlands – over FaceTime.
“I had a breast screening letter sitting by my work computer for months,” Amanda admitted. “I had no symptoms, no issues. But after Rhona’s diagnosis, I thought, ‘I might as well book it.’”
“I decided there and then, I might as well make the appointment.”
She spent several weeks in Scotland supporting her sister, but returned south for her own screening – where she, too, was diagnosed with breast cancer just six weeks later.
“I thought, ‘how ironic.’ I told them my twin sister has just had her left breast removed. I couldn’t believe it.”
Amanda’s cancer was identified as invasive ductal cancer. She was offered a lumpectomy but chose a full mastectomy instead.
STV NewsIn recent months, both have undergone mastectomies.
Amanda was given the option for a lumpectomy to conserve part of her breast, but she opted to have it fully removed.
“I thought it was the best option – and I’m really glad I chose it,” she said.
“We feel empowered by it – it’s the new us.”
Rhona has completed radiotherapy and will be on tamoxifen for the next 10 years, while Amanda is currently awaiting pathology results to determine her next course of treatment.
Both women admit the experience has been emotionally and physically challenging.
“I had that ‘why me’ moment – everyone diagnosed with cancer would have that moment,” Rhona said.
“But for someone to be there knowing what I’m going through, the same emotions…Amanda can now ask me, is this normal?
“She’s seen me at my lowest, trying to get pain under control. She was aware there were going to be days like that.”
Amanda added: “I had no symptoms at all. You don’t realise how important checking is until something like this happens. My cancer was quite far down, I wouldn’t have been able to feel a lump.”
The twins are now awaiting blood test results to see what insights they might provide for their daughters, and researchers are interested in studying their genetic links to cancer.
Amanda said: “I think knowledge is power. You don’t think it’s going to happen to you; six months we didn’t know, now our lives are completely different.”
STV NewsRhona added: “It’s not just for our daughters, it’s for other family members, siblings and grandkids.
“We’ve been through something awful, but it’s brought us closer together.”
The sisters have been spending time together sharing their cancer journeys on TikTok.
Rhona said: “It has helped take our minds off it. It has been a bit of fun and a good laugh, the outtakes are hilarious!
“We’ve got over 1,000 followers now… We were glad when we had 100 followers! It’s spiralled from there.”
Their videos have reached people from across the world from the US to Sweden, with followers sharing stories of their own experiences.
Rhona said: “We have shown our scars to our friends. We’re making people aware that ‘it’s not bad, you get it removed’ and you do kind of feel empowered by that.”
“We don’t know what’s around the corner, but we’re taking the positives from it,” Amanda added.
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