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A Women of Strength and Courage

I started young at the age of 26 a hysterectomy because of cancer, at the age 28 started my journey with all my Breast problems from biopsy to lumpectomies, cystitis. I went from breast doctors to surgeons,at the age 48 I found out for the first time I had Breast Cancer was put on tamoxifen was very hard on me and could not take the medication and then we moved and I started going to a new doctor that I believed in and trusted , he had me go through all the testing and I remember so well walking into his office and the same look on his face as my last doctor "Becky we need to do a Bilateral and Radical Mastectomy" the operation went well, after my research I decided not to have reconstruction. I had 17 lymph nodes removed from left breast and 12 lymph nodes from right , the after fact was a nightmare the word cancer scared everyone away I felt alone with this fight but determined to fight all the way! I was put back on Tamoxifen again was very sick, my Oncologist put me on a different medication due to other health problems I had which made it harder on me. I want to say "PLEASE" check out your surgeon because it says 5 star doctor may not be all true, I live a different life today because of a bad surgeon, I hate looking at myself, I won't undress in front of my husband, I can not even wear my prosthesis without swollen and pain, I love life and enjoy it to the fullness, nothing will take me down and very Blessed and all is welcome to join my site "Becky's cancer group of Michigan" I volunteer at the hospital to talk to women after their surgery,I love helping others because I know what it is like remember one thing please check your references and research may save your recovery and pain

Becky Specht
Fraser, MI

Walk of Faith

I took my husband for a check up our dr. The dr tells me its be 4 years sense my last mammogram. So, I went....didnt want but I went. Got it done on Dec.28, 2011. In Jan.2012 I got a letter saying something was found in left breast, so I went back for another mammogram. A week later got another letter stating the dr ordered another test. (During this whole time I had no pain couldnt feel a lump....nothing) . I go back, this time the way I was standing i could see the screen, I seen this mass. My heart sank, all I could do was pray. I told God if this was the path he needed me to go down, i would. I'd walk it as long as He was there with me. He was not only there, but he brought Christian people each step of the way. On Jan 23,2012 I was told I did have breast cancer. The dr told me she was taking the left breast, i told her "No you aren't" . She just stood there., I told her " you'll be taking both" So, on Feb. 7,2012 my whole life changed. The cancer was not found in any lymp nodes, so i didnt go through any treatment.
I've joined a sisterhood of many who stand proud and say i'm a BREAST CANCER SUVIVOR. We remember those who lost their lives. God bless us everyone

Lea Reyes
Arlington, TX

My sister

My sister Mayra was only 27 years old when she was diagnosed with inflamatory breast cancer. At the time of her diagnosies she was a full time college student, buisness owner, a wife and a mother of 4 beautiful babies!
Throughout all her surgeries chemos and scans Mayra always had a smile on her face always had a positive attitude.
Mayra lost her battle with cancer in January of 2013 at the age of 29...
She is my inspiration she is my role model. Her life was cut too short because of this disease and I hope this story helps open up someone's eyes to go get checked because cancer does not discriminate age gender and or race!

Daisy
Vancouver, WA

Come back in 6 months

My name is LaShondra! I found a lump in my right breast in August 2013. I called my doctor the next day to refer me to get a mammogram/ultrasound done. I was scheduled for the tests by the end of the week. I had the tests done and was told to wait in the examining room to wait for the doctors findings. I was called into the radiologists office, my heart sank right then. He told me from the last visit, which was last year, that the cysts in the left breast had shrunk. He went on to tell me the right breast look like I might have a little fibroidal cysts which were probably benign. He said he would like for me to follow up in 6 months. I did not feel right with his diagnosis so I called my doctor and told him I would like to have a second opinion. I had an appointment with a surgeon two weeks after that. I went to my appointment. He said he wanted to go ahead and remove it, because he did not want me loosing anymore sleep over a probably benign finding by the radiologist. I had surgery on September 2013 and had my results the next week. I felt like I was punched in the stomach when I was told the lump was cancerous. Not only that, but he had to go back in and remove the surrounding tissue and to remove my sentinel lymph node to see if it spread. Long story short, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and BRCA1 positive. I do not have to do chemo or radiation, but I have the gene which means the Angelina Jolie mutation. I have a long road ahead. I WILL SURVIVE!!

LaShondra LaForte'
Jessup, MD

How being laid off from your job becomes a blessing....

I had been let go from my job due to some cut backs. In the weeks following, I was trying to get things lined out for whatever my next venture would be. Realizing that my health insurance would expire at the end of the month and knowing that my doctor had written orders for a mammogram, I decided I'd better go get it done. My appointment was scheduled for Friday, March 29th. Talk about cutting it close! I started to cancel that appointment several times that day for one reason or another. I wasn't afraid of getting it done, I just didn't want to. In the end, I am so thankful for whatever it was that MADE me go!! I was called on Monday, April 1st and told they needed to do more pictures and went in on Wednesday, April 3rd. Thinking it was just a spot of dense tissue, I wasn't worried. At least not until the doctor came in and suggested I let them do a Stereo-tactic biopsy and said we could do it that day! I got the call the following Friday, April 5th.... I have breast cancer! It just flipped my world around! I was scheduled for surgery and sent to the Onocologist right away. He determined that I had a rare blood clotting gene and ruled out the possibility of Chemo but ordered 36 rounds of radiation. He said the risk of a blood clot far outweighed the benefit of Chemo.

Today I'm cancer free!! I live with the fear of the day it returns because of not being able to fight it off the way It should have been but I'm confident that when that day arrives, I'll be in just as good of hands as I was the first time!! The thing that has always amazed me was how me losing my job was truly a blessing!! Who knows when I would have gotten my mammogram if I hadn't been pushed!!

Beverly B
Oklahoma City, OK

samantha's story

I was diagnosed in Dec 16. Just two months after losing my dad unexpexctdly. Started all the testing on my stage 4. Breasted cancer with a possible lump on my adrnele glad. So I deciding to do a bilateral musectomy alone with a husterrcomy because my hormones was feeding my breasted cancer. I went trough 4 rounds of chemist. Took a break and had my surdury then went on cruise with my mom and sis. Had an amazing time. But had to get back in the world. Four more treatments and I'm done.I'm working on yr3 cancer free. I have literally changed my life and how I live. I have two great daughters and a mom and sister thatbecame my suppier group. My bee husband has brent rock to keep hold of during the darktimes. Thank u all and know that I love and appreciate coming to my aid in kicking cancer butt. I love u all

samamtha peterman
white hall, AR

To raise Awareness and Save Lives

My name is Mauna Kay and I am 43 years old and on November 12th 2013...I went for my annual mammogram as preventative Annual test that I have done Every year. A lump was found and the hospital called On that day and set up more test to make sure every possibility was covered and went for more test on Nov. 21st 2013 and there it was still to be found...It was a lump and got scheduled that day for a lumpectomy on Nov 26th and they had concern about it being so far posterior.
December 6th the results were in and went for my appointment with thinking and telling my friends and family that they are 90 percent negative with nothing to worry about. The doctor walked in and said I have to tell you and explain these results. My Heart pretty much stopped with his words.
I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ....What???? How can this be??? I was in total shock and was 90 percent sure my results was negative. I was given two options of either 5-7 weeks of radiation with the risk still hanging over my head with worry that it is possible to return or a complete masectomy and my chances are so much Greater of no return. I chose for myself and my family to have a complete masectomy. I have never been so glad to have taken a test upon myself to schedule and have done in all my life.

MaunaKay Hukill
WELLSBURG, WV

Bleeding? A Symptom of Breast Cancer?

It was July 2002, a month past my 39th birthday, when I looked down at the white top I was wearing and saw blood and quickly realized it was coming from the nipple of my left breast.

I had my baseline mammogram done at the age of 35, because my great-grandmother died of breast cancer when I was very young, so I knew the importance of keeping a close watch on myself.

I made an appointment to see a doctor and he then sent me for a diagnostic mammogram. The report came back "no evidence of malignancy". But I was still bleeding, so my doctor did a smear of the fluid from the nipple, and sent me for an ultrasound...and there they were, three little tumors that were trying their best to hide from the view of my prior mammogram.

After my biopsy, my doctor sat, grabbed my hand and said, in words I will never forget, "There was a malignancy". Diagnosis: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Pagets Disease of the nipple.

The plan was a single mastectomy and I chose to have immediate reconstruction. I was told that I would have the results of the sentinal node biopsy back in 7-10 days. My tumors together totalled only approximately 1 cm and my doctor told me I was borderline for needing chemo. The results of the sentinal node biopsy would give me this answer. I agonized over these results....fearing chemo and losing my long hair SO much more than fearing surgery and losing my breast.

I caught a break, there was no spread of the disease so I did Tamoxifen and Lupron for 2 years, which along with the surgery, was all I needed.

This was 11 years ago, and I am still healthy, and just turned 50 this past year. I also want everyone to be aware that bleeding from the nipple IS a sign of breast cancer and should never be ignored. It's often a symptom left off the list and it's one that saved my life.

Sandy Raup
Yardville, NJ

Still Fighting!!

My name is Holly Ehlers. I learned a few days after my turning forty I have Her 2 positive breast cancer. I am goig for Round five on chemo today. I have on more chemo then I will talk to surgeon about what will be the best surgery for me. Keep me and my family in your prayers.

Holly Ehlers
lakeland, FL

2013 started off with looking forward to my Niece's Wedding in March

Work was crazy busy and stressful the first couple of weeks of January and I found myself extremely tired on Friday night and went to bed early. Woke up on the Saturday still tired and feeling not too great, but headed off to work, whilst driving I was getting pains in the chest and then I started feeling nauseous - I pulled over, called work to say I wasn't coming in and headed straight to the doctor's.
The Doctor asked me to remove my top to listen to my chest and immediately asked how long my left breast had looked like that? My left nipple was slightly inverted which I had noticed over the past few weeks, and I had been getting an itchy rash that came and went - it was summer after all and I had put it down to a bit of heat rash.
To cut a long story short I was sent for a mammogram, referred to a breast surgeon. I think at this stage I was already resigned to the fact that I was going to be diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
My surgeon explained that I had Paget's Disease of the Nipple, a relatively rare form of early Breast Cancer and told me I was to be operated on the following Tuesday......"Ummm, could we do it another day, I have tickets for Barry Gibb that night?"
So on Valentine's Day I had a partial mastectomy, and 8 lymph nodes removed from my left underarm.
A week later the surgeon informed me that the removed lymph nodes all showed signs of cancer and that I required further surgery to remove more....At this stage I was concerned at how close we were getting to my niece's wedding but my surgeon reassured me that I would be fine and able to dance at her wedding but suggested that I avoid dancing the steps to YMCA!!!
The above picture shows me at the wedding....
Chemotherapy was delayed till after the wedding, and I have just finished Radiotherapy, I'll see the surgeon again in January.
So far so good!!!

Janine Keast
Taylors Lakes, Australia