When I was in 10th grade my neighbor had breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery. I remember it being a year of helping to watch her little Yorkie, popping in to make sure she was OK, and listening to the grown ups talk about the next steps, horrified by the thought of the chemotherapy and surgeries. I recall her tripping a lot and telling me that she had a hard time with her balance after the mastectomy. I remember her showing me her prosthetics and scars. I’ll never forget wondering if something like that would happen to me someday too.
I don’t know if she did monthly breast exams. I wonder if she did and she found a lump earlier if things would have been different for her?
She moved soon after my 10th grade year, so I couldn’t ask her questions that as an adult I’d want to know, but I do know that she was lucky in that she only lost her breasts, and not her life.
Breast Cancer Awareness
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Breast Cancer Factiods
- For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
- Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30% of cancers in women are breast cancers.
- In 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US.
Some Tips for Performing Breast Self Exams:
- Try to get in the habit of doing a breast self-examination once a month to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. Choose a day that’s easy to remember, such as the first or last day of the month.
- Don’t panic if you think you feel a lump. In the United States, only 20% of women who have a suspicious lump biopsied turn out to have breast cancer.
- Breasts tend to have different “neighborhoods.” The upper, outer area — near your armpit — tends to have the most prominent lumps and bumps. The lower half of your breast can feel like a sandy or pebbly beach. The area under the nipple can feel like a collection of large grains. Another part might feel like a lumpy bowl of oatmeal.
- Start a journal where you record the findings of your breast self-exams.
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About Angie
