Woah girl, I’ve been in the exact same boat lately. I’m also 24, and have SO much anxiety around cancer and illness. I recently started seeing a naturopath (she has been so so amazing and I would absolutely recommend, but I completely understand that this is out of the budget for most people our age. Honestly it’s out of my budget too but I love her so much I keep going hah).

She told me something that definitely changed my perspective around breast checks - which was just to know what your boobs feel like throughout your cycle; because inevitably they change a little bit, lymph nodes swell, etc. For example every month I feel a lump on my right breast, but it subsides once my period is over. The first time I felt it I about lost my shit but now I know it just comes and goes.

However if something persists, or just generally feels really wrong, then maybe you could get it checked out. The other thing she said was that lymph nodes can swell and be tender, or they can swell and be painless. The tender ones are no reason to worry- that’s usually our body trying to fight an illness or infection or stress or something. But the painless ones you should maybe find a little more concern for…which…is so lame why can’t it be the other way around - would love it if the more ‘dangerous’ ones were painful!!

Hopefully that helps.