Good Morning and Happy October 1!
For many, this day starts a month long “pink” party.. ribbons, tutu’s, t-shirts, etc..
For many others however, this month is a frustrating or painful or thoughtful reminder of our fight because while there is so much “awareness” and money raised and LOTS of pink.. there is still not a real cure.. or better yet.. prevention.
I am one of those warriors. I am a Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor. Having endured 5 long months of chemo (15 rounds), two surgeries and a month of daily radiation.. I am now celebrating just over one and a half years of “no evidence of disease”.. (and praying it stays that way for the rest of my long healthy life!)
The “Pink Washing” of October breast cancer awareness doesn’t cause me pain .. but it does make me much more thoughtful than it used to.. because now I understand so much more about the truth behind the pink ribbons.
Given this, I am going to attempt to share some tips, insight and ideas throughout this month to help you identify any risks you might face of developing cancer.. to share suggestions on how you can support friends and family who might be fighting cancer now.. and even some really neat organizations that if you are led to donate.. will be much better served with your donations than the huge machines that make more money off your donations than they spend on real research.
Today.. I will begin the conversation by saying that YES.. early identification is indeed very important..
So how to safely watch your body? Self checks and mammograms are the prime way.
That being said.. there is ALOT of controversy surrounding mammograms, in that… the radiation they put in our bodies is indeed mildly carcinogenic by itself.. BUT.. mammograms are the ONLY scan that can pick up on “micro-calcifications”.. which are for lack of a better term, “pre-cancer” and if left alone will likely lead to cancer. So.. it is valid to have yearly mammograms.. and 3-D at that (because you can see more).. and ladies.. if you are in your 20s or 30s. and have ANY risk factors.. you may want to SERIOUSLY consider starting your self checks and even scans sooner rather than later.. (I say this as there are SO many YOUNG women in my brest cancer support groups! BC is NOT just for “women over 40” anymore..)
Ultrasounds are an option too.. the benefit is they don’t cause radiation exposure.. the downside is.. they dont see micro-calcifications.
If you have implants, MRIs are an important scan to fold into your yearly looksies too (every 3 years or so).. because they can “see” things beyond and under and behind implants that mammograms and ultrasounds cannot. And yes.. you’ll want contrast.. because that makes even the smallest tumor “light up like a Christmas tree” (had I had contrast in March.. my tumor would have been visible)
Thermography is an emerging option… while at first blush it sounds like the perfect scan option.. as there is no radiation and it covers alot of area.. However, I’ve personally known too many women who had thermography scans.. and were given the “all clear” .. only to discover shortly thereafter (a month or two) that they did indeed have breast cancer. One friend actually had known and diagnosed breast cancer.. and was curious if the thermography scan would pick up on it… so had the scan done.. and was told… “all clear”.. (I say again.. she knew she had breast cancer.. knew where the rumor was.. yet the thermography scan did not “see” it).. so this method is obviously flawed. Perhaps in time it will become more reliable.
Ultimately.. Mammograms really are the best bet… so if you have not had one in a while… you may want to go get scheduled and make it a yearly habit. (btw.. there are integrative methods to protect against radiation exposure.. reach out if you would like to know how.. )
In addition and in fact monthly.. is the critically important practice of doing self exams.. the idea of “feel it on the first” is a great habit to get into..
Self breast exams are easy to do in the shower.. and is in fact how I found my tumor.
(I had a 2D mamogram in January (clear), a MRI (without contrast- clear) in March, and I found my lump the end of July.. by the time I was ultrasounded in August.. it was 3cm. Had I not known my body.. I would not have recognized the tumor as “something wrong”.. given how fast it was growing.. the cancer would have been everywhere by the time my next annual mammogram was scheduled. As it was.. I found it “just in time” as the cancer had not yet entered my lymph nodes)
Given this.. my missive to all women is to know your body & wash your body with your hands (not a sponge, loofa, washcloth.. ) and if something doesn’t feel right.. go get it checked out asap
So ladies.. (and guys too.. cuz yeah.. men get breast cancer too).. please take today (& every first of the month) to give your breasts a good self exam.. and if its not already on your calendar.. go get your mammogram scheduled!!
Ps.. if you are in the fight already, or know someone who is.. please consider me a resource.. I have so much information on how to fight the demon cancer.. and am happy to support you in any way I can. I am also in training to be a certified cancer coach.. so in short order.. I’ll have even MORE options available to serve you!
Pss to continue the discussion on breast cancer awareness please read “Risk Factors”