Share Your Story

Breast Cancer Survivor since Oct. 1998

I was 43 years old when I found out I had breast cancer. I wondered if I would live to see my daughter's finish high school and college. I had six surgeries and 6 months of chemo. My Mom has always been my best friend. But she had to be my caregiver thru all this. I was out of work for 2 months to recover from surgeries. I worked the whole 6 months I took chemo. With love and prayers from my family and church families, I'm still here. Thank you Jesus for taking those stripes on your back for my healing. I will be 12 years cancer free this Oct., and I'm now mawmaw to 3 grandaughters. Everybody please remember to get yourself checked out.

Mary
Dublin, VA

Gratitude

For over 2 years the very first thing I did every morning at work was to click on the Breast Cancer Site, read the stories of inspiration, and then click to fund mammograms. One morning this past February I clicked on with the poignant knowledge that I am now among this sisterhood in the battle against breast cancer. As a stroke survivor, I had long felt kinship with women who have struggled for their lives, and now my "family" has grown. The stories I have continued to read on this site have given me strength and hope every day and I am so very grateful. I am blessed, too, by my two sons, who keep me laughing and who count down the days of radiation with me as we clip links from the construction paper chain they made for Mother's Day. My heart goes out to all women who face the uncertainty, fear, and pain that this diagnosis brings. Yet I am reminded that God has not promised skies always blue, nor flower-strewn pathways all our lives through, but has promised strength for the day, rest for the labor, and light for the way.

Kathy
Longmeadow, MA

Be a Survivor

I had a mammogram and ultrasound after finding a lump in my breast and was told it was nothing and to repeat the mammogram in a year. After about 8 months I once again consulted my Dr who referred me to a surgeon. Things moved fast and a few days later I had a lumpectomy and lymph node dissection. I was told that 11 out or 11 lymph nodes tested positive for cancer. Going through chemo and radiation was a very rough journey, but I am now proud to say I am a 3 YEAR SURVIVOR. I thank God for all my family and friends who helped me get through this stage in my life. My message to everyone is to get your annual mammograms and if you find a lump and you are concerned do not wait. Be proactive and get it checked out.

Julianne
Pearl City, IL

I Will Never Give Up!

For a long time, I was in denial. After my diagnosis, I pushed away my family and friends. I wanted to be left alone. I refused treatment of any kind. Depression and anger soon overwhelmed me. One particular friend would not go away. Thank goodness she didn't. I am so thankful to her. I was the person who gave support, not the person in need of it. Not only did I fight the good fight for me. Despite the daily fatigue, nasea and hair loss the fight is worth it. More so, for my family and my friends, I will never give up. Each day is a new start. Currently, I am doing well. Since 2005, I have had no recurrence of breast cancer. I continue to take maintenance medication and have check-ups once a month and as needed. Remember to "fight like a girl" and stay in the race. No matter who you are or where you come from. Women, we must support each other.

Bertha Haskin
Glendale, AZ

My daughter, My inspiration...

When I was 38 years old I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent a double mastectomy and reconstruction. During this process I had the support of wonderful friends and family, a terrific husband and the care of the best medical staff but my biggest fear was wondering if I would be around to watch my little girl grow up.
At the time of my diagnosis, my daughter was only 8 years old but I quickly found out that she was brave beyond her years. She went to every doctor's appointment with me and was there at the hospital waiting for me with her beautiful smile after every surgery. She was the one who was always supporting and encouraging me when it should have been the other way around.
Now 10 years later, my daughter just graduated from high school (with High Honors!) and will soon be leaving for college and I am cancer free! She plans on becoming a doctor and I can't help but think that maybe her experiences with me had a little to do with her desire to help others. No matter what, I know that she will achieve whatever goals she sets in her life because she is such a special person. In my daughters yearbook she cited this quote: "It is not the number of breaths that you take but the number of moments that take your breath away," and this tells a lot about her character.
I would like to thank everyone who has always been there for me but to especially thank my daughter for always being there, for staying true to herself, and for being such a beautiful, strong woman. I also want her to know that I too will always be there for her no matter what.

Love,

Mom

Sangi
Ocala, FL

Keeping HOPE going!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer twice in my 30's about 7 years apart. Going through this at a young age really opens your eyes to the facts, besides it has been a learning experience that it was not only something that happened to older people. I believe in raising awareness. I love wearing my pink ribbon apparel/accessories to show support for a cause so dear to me. Survivors are my heros plain and simple! The battle we go through to become one says it all. I participate in the local Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure every year if possible. This year I also was apart of the Guiness Book of World Records largest "Chest Bump" for the Komen Global Foundation traveling to DC for that in March @ Shamrock Fest with my sister and her boyfriend. That was special to me as well. Hope lives on in raising awareness!
My body has many scars from the surgeries and biopsies I've been through because I have also battled 2 other types of cancer besides the breast cancer. I learned I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation so my doctor still wants me to consider a double mastectomy to prevent anymore breast cancer from happening. Tough choices to consider yet thankful for LIFE!

Diane
St. Louis, MO

my breast cancer story

I am in the UK where we have a wonderful National Health Service,
women at the age of 50 have free mammograms, and I was given a routine test, it turned out that i had breast cancer, I had no idea I had it and if it hadn't been for the free mammogram I don't know what would have happened!
I had lost my husband Bruce, aged 49, to brain cancer 6 months prior and I was so scared for my daughter who was just 10 at the time as she was just getting over his death and now I had cancer too!
I was treated at the same hospital as him and at first the nurses thought I was at the hospital as a volunteer as I had helped when Bruce was there and they were so shocked when I said I was now a patient! I had 8 weeks of radiotherapy, it became very painful as it made my skin raw, but the care and attention I received was second to none!
we are extremely lucky in the UK to have a free national health service as I could not have coped with out their help!

Lilian Chapman
Chester, United Kingdom

Strength through pain

Those three little words, "You have cancer." I knew my life would change from them, but I could have never predicted how much change would take place. The initial shock and need to act immediately swept over me, as it does for most. I needed to read everything. October and November 08 were the education months. It was only after educating myself that I was able to make an informed decision about the course of treatment that I would take.
It was during this time that I learned how organized and meticulous I could be under pressure. Ask me anything about my cancer, and I could answer you like a doctor. Although my household chores were put on the back burner, I needed to act and do without hesitation, or emotion. I guess I was in survival mode.
December through April, were the surgery and recovery months. It was during these months, that I had the most spiritual and emotional growth. Although there was overwhelming sadness and loss, there was a new sense, or a heightened sense, of appreciation and life.
This was the first time I was totally aware of everyone in my life and the roles they would play in my future. My family, friends, and acquaintances took on a whole new meaning. Through all of this, I have learned that at some time we all do need each other to survive.
May 09 through the present, brings a second round of sadness, loss, and illness. Fibro and nerve damage which I have chronic pain from. Instead of suppressing these emotions, and re-living survival mode, I am choosing to feel everything. I embrace each emotion . I am alive and living each day.
"Life is unpredictable." It truly is what we each make of it.

Lisa Galgano
Island Park, NY

My Mom

3 years ago my mom's cancer was diagnosed - she was 66, I was 37. My sister living abroad, and my dad being abroad too for his job, my mom and I were together to fight that battle. I still remember that Saturday morning when she told me she just couldn't face the itching of the tufts of hair she still had, and a few minutes later, we were in the bathroom and I was shaving her head.
The silver-lining to our story is that it made me realize how much my mom means to me, and to stop thinking that she'll always be there... that terrible illness really brought us together.
We took this photo one day when my sister was with us - it was one of the good days.

Katia Lotte
Barbizon, France

Breast Cancer Screening with MRI

My Grandmother had breast cancer, as well as another generation in my family. This technically means that the data suggests I may be genetically predisposed for breast cancer. Being part of the Magnetic Resonance world, I have helped setup and teach breast MRI all around the country, and some parts of the world. Last year, I discovered that some places (yes, in the US of A) are actually not doing breast MRI correctly, but instead doing it just so they can charge for it. I am appalled, and have reported them, but the MRI police have not done anything, oh wait, we don't have any....! So instead, I started a website trying to teach people what to look for in a good breast MRI exam, and to ask the questions that will steer them away from bad breast MRI.

Mammograms are federally regulated....breast MRI is not. There is no governing body that dictates that if you don't pass a quality assurance criteria, that you cannot do the exam. There is however, the American College of Radiology, which has published recommendations, but these are not mandated, nor are they quality controlled once the scanner passes inspection. Basically, the sites can run however they want, and all do.

If the questions come from the patient body, and the site cannot answer the questions the way they know they should, you should leave and go to a site that can answer all the questions with a "yes".

http://mri-breast.com/know-before-you-go/why-we-suggest-asking-them/

Anonymous
Tempe, AZ