In 1995, I was in my senior year of college working on a Bachelor's in Nursing. Since I was 39, I had my yearly physical and first mammogram. Having a family history of cervical cancer in my mother and 2 sisters as well as my oldest sister die of ovarian cancer, breast cancer was not my main fear. So when I got the call to have another mammogram, it was a shock. So started a 5 year span of mammograms followed by biopsies...all being benign. I told my surgeon that if it ever came back malignant, I wanted a both breasts removed to give me the best chance. In 2001, the finding was malignant. On June 28th of that year, I had a double mastectomy; simple on left, modified on right. My surgeon wanted me to wait a year before having reconstruction. It's now 2010 and I have yet to want that done. My husband and I have decided against it. I spent a few years doing Reach to Recovery and spoke to a lot of women. I have since also had a hysterectomy with both ovaries removed due to premalignant cells. I joke that I'm getting a little low on "girlie parts" but I am enjoying my life and I don't regret my decision.

Koleen Hansen
Emporia, KS