beyond pink team
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Support
    • Physical
    • Emotional
    • Community
    • Financial
    • Caregiver
    • Online
  • Education
    • Newsletter
    • Ignite the Cancer Conversation
    • Quality Care
    • Resources
    • Request Speaker
    • The Cancer Journey
  • Advocacy
    • What is Advocacy
    • National Breast Cancer Coalition
    • Iowa Stop Breast Cancer
    • Research
    • Influencing Policy
    • Access to Care
  • Join Us
    • Be an Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Events >
      • 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Run
    • Membership
    • Donate to BPT
    • Follow Us
 If you are Breast Cancer Survivor and  you would like to contribute your story to our Newsletter, 
​please send us a message here.
DOWNLOAD Current NewsletteR

Categories

All
Advocacy
Bone Health
Breast Density
Breast Disease
Caregivers
COVID 19
COVID-19
Emotional Support
Environment
Exercise
Fatigue
Financial
Gender
Genetic Testing
Grief
High Risk
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Ignite
Implants
Intimacy After Cancer
LGBTQ
Lymphedema
Mammography
Meditation
Men
Mental Health
Metastasis
MRI
NBCC
Nutrition
Obesity
Pain
Pregnancy
Prevention
Radiation
Reconstruction
Reduce Risk
Rehabilitation
Screening
Sex
Side Effects
Support Groups
Surgery
Survivor
Survivorship
Treatment
Vaccine
Yoga
Young Women

Archives

January 2023
October 2022
July 2022
April 2022
January 2022
October 2021
July 2021
April 2021
January 2021
October 2020
July 2020
April 2020
January 2020
October 2019
July 2019
April 2019
January 2019
October 2018
July 2018
April 2018
January 2018
October 2017
July 2017
April 2017
January 2017
October 2016
July 2016
April 2016
January 2016
October 2015
July 2015
April 2015
January 2015
October 2014
July 2014
April 2014
January 2014
October 2013
July 2013
April 2013
January 2013
October 2012
July 2012
April 2012
January 2012
October 2011
July 2011
April 2011
January 2011
October 2010
July 2010
April 2010
January 2010
October 2009
July 2009
April 2009
January 2009
October 2008
July 2008
April 2008
January 2008
October 2007
July 2007
April 2007
January 2007
October 2006
July 2006
April 2006
January 2006
October 2005
July 2005
April 2005
January 2005
October 2004
July 2004
April 2004
January 2004

A SURVIVOR'S STORY

4/2/2007

0 Comments

 
by Anonymous

I just celebrated my 53rd birthday, my sister her 59th , and my mother just celebrated her 85th. We’re all bilateral breast cancer survivors. My mother was diagnosed at age 36 on one side, and at age 46 on the other. I was diagnosed at age 32 on the right side and then again two years later, on the left. When I was just 32, I felt a lump in an area just a little above my breast, so it didn’t register at first that it might be breast cancer. I was expecting to have to deal with breast cancer at some point in my life because of family history, but this lump wasn’t really in my breast, I thought.

​A few months passed and then it began to bother me so I had it checked out. After several exams and a biopsy I learned that it was breast cancer. I had a modified radical mastectomy with good results. No lymph nodes were involved and the doctor decided surgery would be sufficient, and no chemo or radiation would be needed. Two years later I repeated the scenario – this time the cancer was discovered on my mammogram. The story of my diagnosis and treatment was pretty textbook for the time – 20 years ago.

Reflections
There are many more women out there who have been through this than you realize.
At first, I felt very alone. At 32, there were few others my age that had breast cancer. I was active in the YMCA but was uncomfortable in the locker room. This was merely my self-consciousness; the other women got comfortable with my appearance quickly and were completely supportive. Now, I’m amazed at how often I find women (and men with wives, sisters, mothers) who have also been touched by this disease. And many are survivors.

​There’s nothing like a positive attitude! I think breast cancer gave me a new appreciation for what a gift every day is. Through the recovery process I found out how many friends I had and was overwhelmed with their caring and generosity. Everyday I am grateful for my wonderful husband; always loving and understanding and never once expressed disappointment in my changed body.

Never underestimate the value of denial! After my surgeries I did everything to get back to “normal”. Diet, exercise, work, play. I want to give and get the most out of every day so that no matter what happens, I can feel I had a life well-lived. There is no point in worrying about what the future may bring. And worrying is what I deny myself.

Every woman has to decide for herself whether a support group will help her. I tried attending a support group, but stopped because I just didn’t want to talk about cancer so much. Some women with advanced cancers didn’t survive and it was too hard for me to deal with. I didn’t feel a support group was helping me deal with my situation and I didn’t feel strong enough to participate just to try and help others. This may sound cold, but I had a “denial” strategy that didn’t fit in with support groups.

I always regarded breast cancer as a survivable disease. This is probably the most important attitude I have. Sure, I know lots of women haven’t survived but I know lots more who have. I received the gift of this attitude from my mother who was already a survivor at the time of my diagnosis. I think every woman, when faced with a breast cancer diagnosis, has to confront the fear that she may die. But once I confronted that, it helped for me to just regard it as a “bump in the road”.

Find a primary physician who understands breast cancer. I have a doctor right now who understands the risks of cancer recurrence in other parts of my body and screens for these. It provides me with peace of mind that we are doing all we can do.

Hope for the Future
My mother has breast cancer again – discovered 40 years after her last occurrence. I have hope because there are so many new drug therapies now. I get strength from her courage and she keeps a good perspective. She may get the remission we are all hoping for or she may not. Regardless, she is happy for the many good years she has had and she focuses on her love for Dad and us. This may happen to me too, as it may happen to any of us. I will try to deal with whatever happens with the quiet grace and acceptance that my mother is teaching me now. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

CONTACT US

Beyond Pink TEAM
c/o Jeanne Olson, Treasurer
1407 Asbury Lane
Waterloo, IA 50701
​beyondpinkteam@gmail.com
(319) 239-3706
©2020 Beyond Pink TEAM
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Support
    • Physical
    • Emotional
    • Community
    • Financial
    • Caregiver
    • Online
  • Education
    • Newsletter
    • Ignite the Cancer Conversation
    • Quality Care
    • Resources
    • Request Speaker
    • The Cancer Journey
  • Advocacy
    • What is Advocacy
    • National Breast Cancer Coalition
    • Iowa Stop Breast Cancer
    • Research
    • Influencing Policy
    • Access to Care
  • Join Us
    • Be an Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Events >
      • 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Run
    • Membership
    • Donate to BPT
    • Follow Us