Progressive Wednesday

Monday Morning Motherhood: Non-Discriminatory

July 16th, 2007 by Melissa Brannen

212,920 total. 40,970 dead.

Violent crime statistics? Nope. The numbers above represent something much scarier to some of us. They are, respectively, the number of estimated new cases of breast cancer cases in women in 2006, and the estimated number of women who die each year from the disease. And it doesn’t just afflict women: 1,720 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

I bring all this up because last week I received some very disturbing news: my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer and later this week she will undergo a mastectomy. Since I refuse to reveal another woman’s age, we’ll just say that she’s young. Too young. She’s also one of the toughest women you will ever meet. She and her husband had five children in nine years, and raised them to be tough and loving, smart and a little cocky, and they taught their kids to stick by each other. Her oldest son announced his engagement about three weeks ago. Her youngest two are still in high school. My aunt is tall, beautiful, elegant and strong. But cancer, of course, doesn’t discriminate, as my whole family knows all too well. My Great Aunt Dean died many years ago from cancer. My father has been battling several different forms of cancer since I was thirteen. When I was pregnant, my great aunt Joanne died from breast cancer that had metastasized into bone cancer. All good people, none of whom deserve the pain and suffering that cancer brings. But then, no one does.

While there’s no cure-all for cancer, there is good news to be had. In 2006, Gardasil, the first-ever vaccine for cervical cancer, was released. And a few years back, my sister worked for the NIH, doing research on a vaccine for pancreatic cancer. Specific risk factors for different types of cancer have been identified, and there are even tests that can tell you what your chances of developing breast cancer are. One of the most important things about cancer is to find it early, treat it early. According to The Breast Cancer Site: “If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 95%.”

So how can we be proactive and progressive when it comes to breast cancer? Maybe these four steps that follow can help with that:

1. Get screened: Getting a mammogram reduces the mortality of breast cancer by 20-30%. The earlier you are diagnosed, the earlier you can treat cancer. The NCI and Department of Health and Human Services recommend that women over 40 years old get a mammogram every 1-2 years.
2. Screen yourself: At Komen.org you can download a breast self-exam card which is offered in over 8 different languages. They recommend that women over age 20 do a monthly self breast exam. Once again, early detection is the key to fighting cancer.
3. Talk to your doctor: Even if you are perfectly healthy, talk to your physician. Let her/him know of any family history of cancer, especially breast or cervical cancers. If you have found a lump in your breast through one of the above screening methods, or if you are currently going through treatment, communication is important. Staying involved in your treatment is important: know what is happening, know your options, stay informed, get healthy.
4. Tell a friend: This is a Progressive Wednesday staple. Tell a friend what screening methods you use, or if you don’t feel comfortable with that (we understand), click here to send a Breast Cancer Awareness Month greeting card. Also, you can click here to help fund free mammograms. If you know someone who is battling breast cancer, or any cancer, please let them know they have your support. Trust me when I tell you, they’ll need it.

While not a solution, these tips can help with early detection and help those currently waging a battle against cancer. That, my friends, can help at least put a dent in this awful disease.