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My Inspiration

My sister is my inspiration she has had breast cancer and is in the 1% with severe lymphodemia, she is in hosp every 8 wks, it went down to 4 but now they have changed her antibiotics so is back to 8 thank god. After her op she started rowing in Dragon Boats Racing and even represented Australia in Germany. My mother has also had it twice in the same breast, both only had lumpectomies, but mother had the one breast off the second time. both doing well now.
My story started Christmas 04, felt lump but took me 2 weeks to go to docs, had mamo and ultra and was told to honeycombed to be anything, still they did a fine needle biopsy, Christmas Eve I got the news POSITIVE, I had no feeling was numb, told family who where coming to my place for Christmas lunch ( im the youngest of 8) kept my mind of things. Was booked in for core needle 2 weeks later as everything shut over Christmas, confirmed booking day before, get there they dont do it, its next door, they booked out for 4 weeks, I was a mess, my partner then rang Westmead Hospital and explained and was in next day, 2 days late CONFIRMATION. Had all the usual appointments and decided to have Bilateral Mastectomy, i also decided to have expanders put in at the same time. Over next 6 mths had Chemo, lost hair and had pump ups. got through that yr.
This yr I had a full Hysterectomy as a precaution, took me 4yrs to decide as was a lot to get my head around. now im just taking one day at a time, live love and enjoy life to the fullest as you never know what may happen!!!!

Tracey Alexander
Sydney, Australia

One year out of my life....so far.

My story started in Jan of 2009.I found a lump in my right breast, more under my arm then in the breast. I had gone for a mammogram the day before and it was tender around the site.I waited for the results the following week and it came back that I was fine see you in another year...I still felt I should check it out so I went to the doctor,he could feel it too and said to keep an eye on it and come back in two weeks if it was still there.I returned two weeks later and decided to book an ultrasound they would call me with a date.A month went by with no call so I called the office to check well I guess there was a mix up so we booked finally on May 8.
I had the ultrasound and a core biopsy and the call came at 8:00 am on May 15 2009.The biopsy came back positive for cancer cells.Things moved fast after that let me tell you.I had a lumpectomy and axillary node disection on May 29.One lymph node was positive I was told when I woke in recovery so I new then I would have to have chemo and radiation.I started my first of six treatments of chemo in July and my last one is in two more weeks.I then have three weeks of radiation to follow after that.My one goal for this year is to have this all behind me by the end of this year
I have been a hair stylist for 33 years so the loss of my hair was a big thing for me.But I try to look at the bright side of things with a little humor. I am gratefull for my wonderfull family, my partner and friends.

Sandra Murray
victoria, Canada

Finding the Silver Lining

Someone once said, "Breast Cancer does not define me as a women, but my battle with breast cancer does." Honestly those few but powerful words are about as close it gets to the truth.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. My boys were just six and nine years old at the time. As a mother my heart broke as they struggled to come to terms with my diagnosis. For over a year I listened to my sons ask if I was going to die.This is now 2009 and I am still standing here. I had no idea three years ago at the age of 32 I would be counted among any kind of statistics. Yet I was and today I am counted as a survivor. Even though my triple negative breast cancer only counts for 10-20% of the breast cancers found I am a survivor and what a powerful word it is too!

So with a bit of humor and some frustration I live my life proudly as a uniboober. I did lose my left breast and under went chemo. But I also see the silver lining in my battle with breast cancer too. I am now a part of a very special and beautiful group of men and women who call themselves survivors. Honestly, after all the struggles, the battles and the hardships I would have it no other way because in the end I would not change a thing.

The truth is this: I have lived with breast cancer, the loss of my left breast, a bald head, a complete lack of eyebrows and eyelashes, not to mention the drama of having my nails fall off. Did I like it? No, absolutely not! But it is my life, my burden and now my cause.

Christina Dowling Olachia
Katy, TX

My sister, Karen.

My only sister, Karen, died of breast cancer in 2004. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a quick wit. She was a floral designer and was very creative, she loved flowers. She was a wonderful sister and my best friend. Her cancer was found during a routine mamogram, which is why they are so important. She was cancer-free for nearly 5 years when her cancer returned in her bone and liver. She fought a valiant fight until she passed away quietly in the early morning of April 15th. At the exact time of her death, I awoke in my home as if someone had touched me and I knew instantly that she had departed this life and was there to say goodbye. During her illness, Karen taught us courage and restored our faith. We know that she now is free of the pain and suffering that this disease causes, she walks at the right hand of the Lord. Her first grandchild was born during the last stages of her illness and she was blessed to see her, she would have been the best grandmother. I miss her and think of her each day and know that one day, we will meet again. If you are reading this, please do your self examinations and get your mamograms. My mother was a breast cancer surviver until her recent death, she lived to be 87!

Anonymous
evans, GA

I'm only 27...

I am a 27 year old mother of an almost 4yr. old son and wife to my wonderful husband .Just before leaving for a family vacation I found a lump in my right breast on Sept 17th 09
I had a mammo and sono the next week .. they came back very suspicious for cancer. the docs all said I'm too young don't worry 90% chance everything is ok.. I wanted to take no chances so i had a surgical biopsy to remove the whole mass.. test came back on Oct 13 09. cancer.. I'm thinking this can't be really me I'm so young...Let me stress that I'm only 27!! they now think the cancer could have spread I have my first Oncology appt on tuesday to find a plan of action and see how far the cancer has spread. My surgeon says I've had it for at least a year had I waited till I was 30 I would be making final arrangements..Time will tel and I plan to put up one hell of a fight!! But the message I want to spread is that ITS NEVER TO EARLY TO CHECK YOURSELF!! There is NO history of breast cancer in my family.. this CAN happen to ANY woman..God Bless all the women who battle this nasty silent disease and the families who support them..

Melissa
Lorain, OH

On my way to recovery

This is my mother a very strong woman of God a Pastor for 15 years a mother of one son whom is a Pastor and two girls that are church Ministers, she has just been remarried in Nov 08 she found out she had breast cancer in Jan of 09, thank you Lord God has been really keeping her strength up and nothing has stopped her from preaching and teaching the word of God, she has been taking tamoxfin since January the lump went down in March she has now been taking chemo for the last six months,
Her oldest sister died of breast cancer in 2005,

she is happly married and still fighting to recovery the hosptial has paid for all her treatment and the doctors and nurses that look after her are awesome, they say the cancer has spreaded to her bones and she is taking infusiion for her bones, she lose strength after the bone treatment but we pray to God for strenght to her body and it do not take God long for that, She was do to have the left breat and lipno removed but they did not go thougth with it because of a lump that has appreaed on the left side of her head so now they are waiting so that they can diagnose the lump on her head, But we have higher Power and we already believe and have faith that God is bringing her to recovery, Thank you for this site I have reached out to many other sights like this one and they have been very comforting and encouraing, I pray for the many women that have recoved from cancer and the ones that have just begun please do the same for my mom...

Kendra
Gainesville, FL

Cancer survivor story, director of cancer prevention coalition

I am a cancer survivor, but lost my Mom to cancer at age 56, after she worked for toxic Revlon cosmetics putting on women 8 hours a day for 20 years. Found out about the chemicals in cosmetics and personal care and became Cancer Prevention Coalition LA director., Helping others with healthy homes, healthy bodies. Think Before you Pink and know where your dollars are going. Thermograms are much, much safer than mammograms (which are xrays and cause cancer). Know if your pink dollars are going into the cosmetic or pharmaceutical industries, or truly into cancer prevention. See www.preventcancer.com. Learn how to read labels on products you use daily and avoid and become aware of avoidable risks of cancer and illness from environmental toxins.
www.healthy-communications.com
Learn that Susan B. Komen, American CAncer Society, BReast Cancer Coaltion, will not tell consumers about the danges of chemicals in products. Why? Because they are supporting the very industry that manfuacturers the carcinogens we need to avoid.

Shelley Kramer
Malibu, CA

My seven year story

In May 2002, my life was saved by having a mastectomy. I had found a large lump in the Easter of that year. My breast cancer was very aggressive and had spread to the lymph nodes under my left arm. After six months of horrid chemotherapy, I then started taking the drug tamoxofen. This I took for about three years, and then I went on Arimadex for the next two years. I suffered some very nasty side effects from the chemo. and the drugs. However, I am still HERE! What a blessing life really is. I am so grateful to the doctors and nurses who looked after me so well during my illness. I am now enjoying my grandchildren and work from home, helping others who need support. I am a Meditation Facilitator and am very fortunate in having some wonderful friends. During my healing journey, there are a number of people I need to thank, who have been there for me and just brilliant. My number one supporter is my wonderful husband, John and our adult children. Petrea King has been an inspirational person in my journey and I thank her and The Quest For Life Foundation for all that they did for me while on one of their live-in programs. I thank God every day for my life and all the blessings I have received.
You are welcome to visit my website at
www.healthnharmonygrenfell.com
May your life be blessed and may you walk with the angels every day.
Thank you for reading my short story.
Kindest regards,
Chris.

Christine Convery
Grenfell, Australia

Breast Awareness

I remember when I was in Ninth Grade Health Class, it was a requirement to learn CPR. We had this lifesize-rubberlike-guy-torso thing that we used to feel the chest, sternum, the places we were to press on, and areas we were not supposed to press on.
I personally do not know one female that does breast self-exams. I know there are fliers that "show" how to do it, and we promise we'll start doing them, but the sketches, drawings and minimal "instructions" are not helping women really know what to literally feel when they do the self-exam. I mean, have you tried? Everything feels wrong. Is that tissue? Was that just a lil' bit o' flab? An okay fibrous cyst? A little sac of okay fluid? Or a tumor. No wonder no one does them. No one has near the training or experience to do them, and sorry, medical people, that little picture card instruction aide isn't teaching it either.
We need female-torso-mannequin-things, almost exactly like the CPR man, give her boobies, medium ones maybe. Have the "right one" filled with the okay-feeling "right" kind of stuff, and the "left one" filled with the same stuff but also a couple masses that are the "wrong" kind of feeling. They would have lightly shaded areas to indicate where to press, which direction, etc. It's an inexpensive answer that will show women what a questionable mass feels like, giving them the knowledge and confidence to perform the self-exam and to make the follow-up call to their physician if, more likely when, they feel one.
Self-exams don't cost a thing. Missing the early detection signs of breast cancer costs a lot. And, most importantly, it costs lives. Let's not just tell women to do self-exams. Let's teach them to do self-exams.

Anonymous
Los Angeles, CA

Early Dectection

A routine mammogram showed something, so another mammo along with ultrasound was the next step. After the ultrasound, the doctor came in and said I had breast cancer, did the biopsy right away, stage 1. Too small to feel, no family history, and only 30 days after my husband had a heart attack, he is doing well. Surgery, sentinel nodes were clean, 4 rounds of chemo and 33 radiation treatments later and here I am. Sometimes as I sit here it feels like it all was a dream, but looking in the mirror at my still very short hair reminds me everyday. My love for my family and their amazing support made all the difference in the world, could not have done it without them. Please if someone you love is facing this battle be strong for them, let them cry if they need to, and supportive when they need it.

Linda Malchow
Crivitz, WI