Reminder: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

[Laurie]

If you are a woman age 40 or older who has not yet had their baseline mammogram PLEASE stop what you're doing right this second and get one scheduled! If you are a woman younger than 40 with a history of breast or ovarian cancer in your family, PLEASE get your baseline mammogram scheduled.
Our first attack against breast cancer is to be prepared and educated.
Cancer can happen to anyone! It's easier to treat cancer in early stages rather than the later stages.
Although many reports show breast cancer with a "high" chance for survival, there is more than one type of breast cancer. Some of them are highly aggressive, affect young women, African American and Hispanic women and even men at an alarming rate.
Please don't be afraid of the stories you may have heard on how much the mammogram hurts.
I've seen breast cancer ravage my beautiful sister Lisa who died from Triple Negative Breast Cancer on July 15th 2009 after an 8 year battle. I can tell you 100 percent chemo therapy, radation and cancer itself hurts a lot more than your ****s getting squished during a mammogram.

Love yourself and others around you during this month, if you haven't had a mammogram yet, please have one done.

And if you haven't kept up on your yearly pap and annual exam from your OB Gyn, please get current and keep current!

 

[Luci]

how early should women get mammograms? im 21 at the moment but do self breast exams. plus a lot of health and fitness magazines are running articles this month that give tips on prevention and taking care of our bodies.

oh and just thought id mention, im volunteering at a breast cancer run on the 24th! im not too athletic myself (i can sprint/run for a good minute but thats it lol) but i still wanted to help.

 

[Stackie]

I am 20 and I get annual breast exams at each of my yearly pap smear exams.

 

[Laurie]

Luci, unless you have a history of breast cancer in your family, at 21 you don't need a baseline done yet. Self checks and regular visits to your OB-Gyn are the best course of action for a young woman and really ALL women.
Thank you for volunteering this month! Every bit helps!

 

[eroomlorac]

Excellent post, Laurie. Thanks.

 

[Jenn]

I have history of breast cancer on my paternal side, but not my maternal side. I just got my first mammogram last week as I had a pap and something was felt in one of my breasts. I ended up having x-rays and ultrasounds on both breasts, and then was called to go back in the following day for more magnified x-rays of my right breast. Calcifications were found in my right side, and fibrous tissed in my left. So I had the dreaded first mammogram, and a second the following day, and have to go back in 6 months for a recheck. The actual procedure wasn't bad at all. I've given up on modesty! The hardest part about the whole thing was waiting to hear the results. The calcifications in my right breast are benign and I will be sure to stay current on my mammograms and catch anything early if my diagnosis changes in the future. I was putting off my first mammogram and now I wonder why. It was no big deal at all, and knowing that I am healthy and free of breast cancer is wonderful!

 

[eroomlorac]

I've given up on modesty!

Ha! I work at the hospital and have had mammograms and an "internal" ultrasound by people I say 'hi' to in the hallways everyday. Thank God they are ultimate professionals and act like they've never really seen me nekkid. Sheesh.

 

[menagerie]

Now is also the time where lots of companies are selling really cool products in order to raise money for breast cancer research.

Avon has a really nice tote designed by Marimekko® for $10 $6.25 of each sale will go to the breast cancer crusade.

Note: I am in no way affiliated with Avon nor do I usually like their products.

 

[Stackie]

I love that bag Meanie! I'm buying myself one!

 

[Rebecca]

My aunt had breast cancer (treated and survived), and I've had personal experience with many kinds of cancer in one way or another. One thing I like to do this month is bake pink cupcakes (sometimes with the ribbon drawn on with icing), and attach an informational card (essentially with the information Laurie has in her OP). I have my dad take them to his work and put them in the break room. They come for the cupcakes, but they stay for the mammogram.

 

[Luci]

i just decided to post something i found out this morning.

as some of you know, i work at my school's library at the front circulation desk. today i had been wondering where one of our librarians was since i hadnt seen her for a week. her student worker informed me she was diagnosed with cancer last week. im assuming it is breast cancer cuz during the summer we'd sit in the break room and i remember a discussion where she mentioned she's at risk.

for the last few weeks shes been out a lot. stomach issue problems, sinus issues, etc. im not too sure if theres a correlation between the two. i know cancer weakens the immune system so that could be why shes been sick a lot. i have no idea what stage its in or anything like that but im definitely wanting to send her encouragement during this time.

i just found out and already feel a great amount of sadness.

 

[addictedtochins]

Triple Negative Breast Cancer

What does that mean?

 

[Laurie]

Triple Negative Breast cancer affects young women and usually affects African American and Hispanic American Women. It is not a hormone driven cancer therefore cannot be treated with hormone therapy, which works very well to keep cancer at bay once you've had it. It is an incredibly aggressive breast cancer and it's survival rate is very, very low. Lisa was struck with this at age 36 and it's really a miracle she survived 8 years having triple negative breast cancer. She also tested positive for the BRCA1 mutation which does have a correlation to triple negative breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are blood tests done to determine your predeposition for either breast or ovarian cancer. When it was discovered Lisa had the mutation she also had her ovaries removed as a precaution. Triple negative is treated like other breast cancers with chemotherapy and radiation, however after those treatments, daily hormone regimens don't do any good, whereas in other breast cancers they do.
Luci,
chemotherapy and radiation have very severe side effects. Your coworker could actually be having these treatments for her cancer which is why she is so sick. If you have brain radiation your sinuses are affected greatly as well as swelling to the face. It's side affects can last up to one year after treatment.
Chemotherapy is very awful--it is a poison coursed through your system to kill the cancer in your body.