Toni Braxton

Anonymous

As some of you have mentioned, Toni Braxton was recently diagnosed. According to reports, she's been trying to keep it secret, but I guess the cat's outta the bag. I'm curious about the "iron concoction" she's being "pumped" with..? Procrit or Aranesp....or something else?

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/08/25/toni_braxton_diagnosed_with_breast_cance

She's too young....but what else is new? And after pericarditis too! This disease SOOOOO SUCKS!!!!!

~Marin

Jaybird627

Dang! This is the first I've heard of her having BC. Didn't like the 'sensationalism' of the article, though.

A co-worker's mom was dx recently and another co-worker told me today that the mom has mets. She has to be close to my age as my co-worker is in her early 20's (I think?).

It's all just so frickin' sad.....

Jaybird

EachDay

Once again, it isn't just "us ordinary folk" who are going through this, it happens, worldwide and it hits even people who are "famous". I always hope that those who are famous can bring this into focus for others and the rest of us "ordinary folk" and my prayers as always are with Toni (whose voice and music I adore) and her family and loved ones. Cancer is indiscriminate and strikes where it wants.

nosurrender

Thanks for this link, Marin.

In my opinion, this is where RACE MATTERS.
For some reason the ACS STILL tells us to START mammo screening at age 40.

We have a lot of women here who were dx'd long before the age of 40.

It is of particular importance for African American women to get screened EARLY. VERY EARLY. Because African American have a high rate of very aggressive, basal, tripleneg cancer. If they follow the ACS guidelines, then they could find it too late- WAY too late.

The statistics show that the risks for bc are high in under forty, African American women. After 50 however, their risk is lower than Caucasian women.

Tony Braxton is a young, African American woman and she wanted to keep her cancer a secret. I totally understand her personal choice. I told far fewer people this time around than I did my first time.

But if she had chosen to announce it and to push young African American women to get screened and to tell them the risk they face of basal, tripleneg cancers, she literally could save many lives.

I pray she does well and kicks her cancer's butt to the curve.

I sometimes think to myself that early detection and treatment should be the wish for cancer patients since it is attainable. The cure may be out there in a lab someplace and someday we will have it.

But this is something we can do now.
And Triplenegs need to use all the advantages they have.

If your African American friends are young and haven't even had a baseline, push them to. You could be saving their lives.

Anonymous

Amen, Gina. I was 37 at dx but had had biopsies since I was 16 and mammograms since 25 (my mom was dx at 44). Had I waited until 40 to get that baseline, my cancer would have been much further along, I'm sure.

I had read a while back about new (ACS? can't remember) guidelines for those with strong family histories of bc as well as African American women that include baseline mammos at age 35. I tell every friend I have to talk to their docs about it and to request digital imaging centers when they go for their mammograms.

I pray Toni does well with her treatment.