Breast Cancer . . .

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and my friend asked me to come on her podcast to speak about it.  I’m always surprised at how even the words “breast cancer” carry so much fear and anxiety for me.  My gut reaction to her request..… HELL NO!  I don’t want to be known as a breast cancer person, I don’t want to talk about it and I certainly don’t want to go on a podcast and broadcast my imperfect feelings about breast cancer to the world.  Even thinking about breast cancer can make me cry.  I know I’m not the right person to talk about it on a podcast. 

 As per usual, my gut reaction is not a good indicator of who I want to be.  So, of course,  I’m doing the podcast… I think it is always good for me to do something that scares me and in my heart I really do feel very strongly about early detection and the dreaded mammogram.  I recently read an article that said cancer pre screening was down 90% during the pandemic. Now that is scary.   The only reason I’m here today, with the privilege of writing about something so trivial as being scared to talk about breast cancer is because of a routine mammogram for a girl with no symptoms, no family history and no idea she had breast cancer..  I owe a lot to that uncomfortable test.  

Next month, I hope I get to have my own personal celebration as I now do every November.  It is the month for all of my yearly screenings to determine what I hope is 3 years clear from cancer.  Without going into all of the twists and turns, ups and downs, I just want to urge all of the women reading this, (and the men who love them) to get yourself screened.  

Everything is manageable if you know.  

Early detection is key.