I am 48 and lead a very active and healthy life. I've had routine mammograms as prescribed due to my age. My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung cancer when she was 60, and passed away 50 days later. I was with her when she died, and then became active with the Relay for Life. This past summer, I earned the Pacesetter award for raising more than $2500, and the American Cancer Society sent me a nice fleece jacket with their logo on it.
This year, after my screening mammogram, they requested diagnostic exams due to calcium clusters. Once those were viewed, I was sent for a biopsy.
On Nov 15, 2010 at 6:30 PM, I was ironically diagnosed with breast cancer after being so active in my fundraising efforts. I have Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, which is a VERY EARLY non-invasive kind of cancer. So early in fact, that the doctors feared they did not get the "clusters" during the biopsy and warned that it might need to be re-done. The surgeon who will be removing "it" on Dec 13th remarked that he was surprised they saw it on the film!!!
My message is that it is important to get your yearly exams. I am now even more humbled and thankful for the cancer research that goes on by dedicated doctors every day in this battle. How could I have predicted that the cause I have been working so hard to support may have saved my very life???!!!!
Please take action to save your own life too!! Get your mammogram!!!
Shirley, MA