I don't know if anyone has posted anything on this, but as many of you know October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month here in the US.

It is estimated that one in eight American women will experience breast cancer in her lifetime...and I'm sure we've all been touched by this killer in one way or another.

A friend of mine is 35-years-old and has just recently been diagnosed.

So, please, please, please -- if you're over 40 get an annual mammogram -- if you cannot afford one there are many resources out there to get a free one (our hospital system offers them each year). If you're under 40, do your monthly exams...the early detection can save your life...




for the women we have lost and those who continue to fight...

Heather
Leanne
Jane
Auntie Annie
Kathleen
Zana

(feel free to continue the list below...)

My mom died. I take the whole thing very seriously.
[Edited 10/19/06 8:40am]

CortestheKiller said:

I'm a bit confused by the





All is well...just a typo!!
[Edited 10/19/06 9:03am]

.
[Edited 10/19/06 9:11am]

My sister works in the Breast Health Clinic at our Women's and Children's hospital. She is constantly telling me about the young women who are coming in with cancer. Women in their 20's and 30's who have small children, it's all so sad.
My Aunt Mary is a breast cancer survivor- 10 years now.

Thank you Apples for the reminder

My baby sister just had a lumpectomy on each breast.

Both cancerous, and fortunately both contained.. 6 weeks of radiation, and will be on tamoxifen for a long while...

To those who have survived, and those that have succumbed.

CortestheKiller said:

Sorry hon...I hate those laptop things too...
I'll fix it.

sag10 said:

Sag...

You have the strongest family I've ever encountered. I'm glad your sister is on the road to recovery...

You don't mean our leanne?

2freaky4church1 said:

Nooo...the leanne I'm talking about is a friend of my family.

applekisses said:

Thank you love!

sag10 said:

Welcome, hon! for your sis

I participated in the Race for a Cure event this summer. It was fun and I had the chance to meet some beautiful women and hear their stories of how they battled this disease. I have a greataunt who was diagnosed w/ breast cancer over a decade ago. They caught it early and today she is cancer free.

i dont know her real name but lets not forget dustysgirl

I know it's rare for women my age to have breast cancer, but I always check myself and get checked out for lumps. I would get these huge lumps under my arms, and that scared me a little, but the doctors told me they were only enlarged lymph nodes. It still made me aware, especially knowing that older relatives have died from breast cancer. I know it's bad to be biased when it comes to foundations, but this is one of the few causes that I donate to.

I've mentioned this many times before, but I'm a 34 year old breast cancer survivor. Diagnosed with stage IIB one month before my 31st birthday. I've been on and off treatments for three years now. I've had an accumlative 9 weeks of radiation and so far, 16 months of chemo (currently on again), and have been on Herceptin for two years now. I had a left modified radical mastectomy in Sept. 03 and breast reconstruction in March of this year (I don't recommend it). I lost all of my beautiful long and curly hair two weeks after my very first treatment in Oct. 03. It started growing again in May of 04. It's now just past my shoulders. You will never hear me say again, "God, I hate my hair today!" It can look just as messed up and frizzy as it wants to...at least I have it!!!

The disease is considered "stable" right now. I'm going to get a bone scan today for a re-check and a CT scan next week. I've already had about 10 or 12 of them.

No one in their 20's or 30's ever thinks about breast cancer. Even when I found my "thickness" in my breast, I thought it was nothing and let it sit there for almost a month before I told my mom (she freaked out). You must do your self exams and insist on mammograms, ultrasounds or MRIs if you are under 40 and your mother or sister has had it. The rule is, 10 years before the age of your mom or sister was diagnosed. Since I was 31, that meant that my sisters should start at 21 (they're actually older than that though).

I think that I started getting sick sometime in 2001/2002. It was a very stressful time for me. My husband and I were having some major problems, I was at a job that I absolutely hated. I didn't sleep enough, I certainly didn't eat right (tons of junk food, hardly anything healthy). I was getting a lot of upper respitory infections and had yeast infections nearly every other month. I had lost about 10 pounds, my skin was a broken out mess.

I think that was when my immune system was weakening and my body let the cancer cells grow (we all have them from time to time).

So my advice is...take care of yourselves. Limit your junk food. Try to eat whole foods in their natural state at least 80% of the time. Exercise some. Breathe. Get out of stressful situations, or at least learn how to deal better. Do things for yourself that make your happy. Don't put yourself last. If you're not in a loving relationship, get out. Love, romance and fulfillment can make you feel great. Cry when you need to and laugh a lot. AND FEEL YOUR BREASTS A LOT!!!!

dustysgirl said:

dustysgirl said:

Thank God you're still with us Thanks for sharing your story. I think this is something we gals all take for granted...but it can strike any of us. You're a warrior, girl!!!

http://www.fordvehicles.c...orsinpink/






[Edited 10/20/06 9:50am]

I'm sorry I just saw this thread.

There is not enough we can do to make women aware of this disease.

my friend's mum and sister (who left 3 kids behind )

My mom was just diagnosed this week. They are still trying to decide if it is at stage 3 or 4. This is going to be a fight that we're going to do our best to win. I told my mom that we are surviors and not victoms. I am a bit upset with her for not telling me this earlier because I really belive that if I had know we could have done something before now. She can't start any treatments until the doctors know whats really going on. I had my own scare earlier this year when I found a lump the size of a golfball. After all the test I found out that it was just fluid and they were able to drain it. Since this runs in my family (my aunt had a double mastectomy) This is not something to just wait and see if anything changes. Get tested!!!!

I am working in breast cancer research, and reading these sories always makes me realize the enormous amount of people affected by cancer.
Awareness is so important, orgettes!

Getting tested is very important.

My mother-in-law is a survivor that had to have a double mastectomy.

But don't forget that getting tested isn't just for the ladies.
Men are also at risk, and need to keep a check too.

You know this is something i dont understand....wheres the anger?

breast cancer is still alive and running.


But all we hear is bout is viagra, or other enhancment pills.

I ask why is the males erection so much more important? than the treatment of breast cancer?

When you look at the stastics of medical aid and prevention women are on the low end of the pole.

cmon women fight.

LadyFunkSoldier said:

lazycrockett said:

These women ARE fighting...they're fighting for survival.

It started as breast cancer and shot out veins through my mom's body. They gave her 3 weeks to live and that was 8 years ago. The positive traits she's instilled in me are the same things that keep her going.

Every month is breast cancer awareness for me, I can't wait to see her around Thanksgiving.

Thx for starting the thread Andrea.

Slave2daGroove said:

You're welcome, Chris...