We are the Breastcancer.org Community!

Moderators

Hi All,

We would really like to put together a slide show showing all your faces to show the amazing diversity of our community, reaching around the world. Please share with us here, or PM us.

Photo (best quality possible)

Where you live

Diagnosis

Your Age

Quote about how the community/BCO has helped you.

Thanks for being a part of our community!

exbrnxgrl

I live in San Jose, CA

Diagnosed over 4 years ago with Stage IV Grade 1 IDC, with a single bone met

59 years old

"Though a fortunate minority, with no pain and disease that has had minimal impact on my life, the emotional support I have received from many women has been an important factor in coping with MBC."

Honeytagh

My name is Hanieh. I was diagnosed at 32 with stage 1 medullary carcinoma in July 2014 just 3 days after my birthday. I live in Tehran, Iran. I got my MA in English literature and now I'm an English teacher. This site has been a great help to me throughout this journey.

Honeytagh

Hi. My name is Hanieh . I got diagnosed at 32 in July 2014 with stage 1 medullary carcinoma grade 3 three days after my birthday. I live in Tehran, Iran. I have MA in English literature and now I'm an English teacher. Throughout this hard journey this site has been a great help and relief to me. I got to know some wonderful people here to whom I could share what I could not share with my loved ones. I love this site because it helped me find some great friends here .

Moderators

Thank you so much, exbrnxgrl and HanTagh. We think everyone in the community will find this really interesting! Please make sure others know. Wonderful to see your faces, and your quotes!

Jazzygirl

Hello:

I am unable to share a photo due to privacy reasons around my work (self employed), but wanted to contribute here whether you choose to share this with the greater community or not. I have included a photo representative of where I live.

Age: 55, dx at 52

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Dx: Bilateral breast cancer, IDC and DCIS

Quote: BCO helps women with support with timely articles and a wonderful network of breast cancer survivors. There are women on BCO whom are waiting for results all the way through treatment, through the five year follow up process, and beyond. I have met many great friends here, and had the good fortune to meet one in person so far!

Smaarty

Sacramento, CA

DCIS, stage 0

65

I come here several times a day. Love the women I have met here. Learned a lot, cried a lot, have been lucky to me 2 BC sisters, one in my hometown, one in Ireland. Hope to meet others soon. I would feel lost without the comradiaryBCO gives.

feelingfeline

Hi my name is Susanna, aka feelingfeline, pictured here with my daughter Nina.

I live in Wicklow Town in Ireland.

I was 44 at the time of my diagnosis, I'm now 48.

I was diagnosed with a stage 3, grade 3 Ductal Carcinoma with 3/22 positive nodes and had a mastectomy and axillary clearance.

I've done chemo, rads and am currently signed on for the long haul on hormonal therapy.

Two years after my own diagnosis my husband was diagnosed with a stage 3 cancer. It's said that lightning never strikes twice in the same place but there are plenty of families on BCO who know that's not always true.

There is a huge amount of love, laughter, humour and friendship on BCO as well as other emotions associated with the BC journey. I came onto the site never expecting it to become so much a part of my life as it has. Breast cancer is the catalyst for how we join the community here but that is not the reason for staying, BCO is about much more than just breast cancer, it is about friendship too.

Anonymous

Not much to say except I'm glad I'm here and that I live to run, spin, bikram yoga, hike, run rivers. This was just taken last Sunday at a run on the Hopi Nation in No. Az. I was 53 when dx. I just turned 57. Finding this cyber-community early in my dx was one of the most positive experiences in this entire journey.

Juliecc

Hi, my name is Julie and I live in Orange County, CA. This is a picture of me and my amazingly supportive boyfriend 2 weeks before my bilateral mastectomy. I was in that dreaded time period between diagnosis and surgery knowing that the lump I felt months before was cancer.

I was diagnosed in February 2014 at the age of 46. I am turning 48 in 2 weeks.

Thankfully, I was diagnosed with stage 1 IDC breast cancer with no lymph nodes affected. It was 1.4 cm and my regular doctor thought it felt like all my other usual lumps. My Oncotype DX score was 12 and I avoided chemo and radiation. I'm just on the Tamoxifen 10 year plan. I had two additional breast reconstruction surgeries and am pondering 3D nipple tattoos, flowers, or something!

I learned about BCO back in 2009 when I had an excisional biopsy for a radial scar. I found my way back as I waited for the call to know if I had cancer or not. The support on these boards is incredible! Cancer can be a lonely experience and it was so helpful to be able to talk to other women that were going through the same thing. I have made friends here and I am forever grateful for this site.

susan3

Chicago

Age 55 stage iv

Love the humor on this website. They keep my smiling

Moderators

It is so nice to really "meet" you- to see your faces, with the stories. Thank you for being so supportive, and helpful!

CarolinaAmy

Charlotte, NC

Triple negative breast cancer, IDC, stage TBD (late July 2015)

40--first mammogram

In these first few weeks of shock after the diagnosis, BCO has been the 'safe place to run' for me. It's where to find answers from a supportive, understanding community and has already become a critical part of my battle plan. It brings together the best of what women are: tender, tough, generous, devoted, strong, and loving. And we are here for one another.

(Note: this pic is from my head-shaving party this week!)

(

CarolinaAmy

(susan3--you are STUNNING!!!!)

Moderators

You are ALL stunning!!

muska

Age 56, two years after completion of active treatment.

No matter how much support you get from family and friends there are things only people who are in your shoes can understand.

Meadow

Springfield Missouri, Age 54

Diagnosis: Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC,Triple Negative)

I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer in 2013. This aggressive form of breast cancer is rare, making up only 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancers. I have yet to meet another person diagnosed with IBC. Breastcancer.org has been a blessing to me because here I have "met" other women who share my diagnosis. We encourage each other, share information, share laughs and joys, and tears, helping each other so much. I am pictured here with my husband David, he is a wonderful and loving support. I am very blessed.

shaz101

BCO turns stats back into people!

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, stage 2b, grade 1

Age: 47

South Australia

Moderators

Gorgeous women!

Nel138281

Massachusetts

BCO - -These are the folks who "get it" Information and support from the best!

DX Sept 2011 with IBC Stage 3 B

DX Aug 2013 with spread to adrenal gland Stage 4

NED Since October 2013

Current age 61

Stephmoen

diagnosed at age 29 invasive ductal carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ stage 1 March 17 2015. I completed 6 treatments of taxotere carboplatin perjeta and herceptin August 6 2015 had pet scan and ultrasound showing all clear no residual cancer seen! Double mastectomy scheduled sept 21 with reconstruction..Fighting for my 5 year old son and 1 year old daughter

lulud471

LCIS & ILC at age 45 now 48. Northeast Pennsylvania.

BCO is an invaluable resource in helping me get the perspective on a huge variety of issues from other breast cancer patients/survivors. They understand; they "get it".

aviva5675

I'm Aviva, age 57, with my wonderful daughter at the Grateful Dead fare thee well..

Diagnosed July 2013, Stage 2a, Oncotype 2.

I live outside Chicago, in Algonquin,IL.

BCO forums and information I read once diagnosed were a life saver for me. Finding a community of others going down the path kept me together and made me realize all the feelings I had were normal. Hope to help others down the road.

OncoWarrior

BMX. no recon.

My Quote: "I've had cancer. I can do ANYTHING!"

Edited to add my BCO quote: "BCO has been my lifeline since I had the good fortune to discover it shortly after diagnosis. It is the best source of informative articles and the peer support is so uplifting. I can get facts, friendship, folk wisdom, and FUN in one location. All at the click of the mouse. What more could I ask for?"

Here is a picture of my T-shirt. I made this.

Front. paint, embroidery and beads.

Back. paint and embroidery

Moderators

Nice!

OncoWarrior

My Quote: "I traded my Perky Bosoms for a Perky Attitude!"

Edited to add my BCO quote: "BCO has been my lifeline since I had the good fortune to discover it shortly after diagnosis. It is the best source of informative articles and the peer support is so uplifting. I can get facts, friendship, folk wisdom, and FUN in one location. All at the click of the mouse. What more could I ask for?"

Scwilly

I was diagnosed at 53 with triple negative IBC in November 2013. Following 9 months chemo I had a left UMX and then radiation. I finished my treatment in July 2014. In Feb 2015 I was diagnosed with DCIS in my right breast after I found small lump - so in April this year I had a right UMX together with both sides DEIP reconstruction. Now all recovered and loving my new foobs. I am so grateful I have made it so far knowing there are many others have not been so fortunate. Its been a long journey but feel I have been able to cope with each stage with the support of this site. I try to contribute back by giving advice to new members every now and then. Every post helps so many more people that those who contribute as I have read so many that have helped.me.

(photo taken on a Visit to San Francisco Pier 39 last month - and not all those beers are mine!)

NatsFan

I live in Rockville, MD.

DX Stage IIb IDC

Age at dx: 52

Currently 59 years old. Celebrated my 5 year survival anniversary by running a half marathon. I was never a runner before breast cancer, but going through surgeries, chemo, and the entire cancer experience brought out a zest for life and a desire to try just about anything!

From the early days after diagnosis when I was suddenly plunged into Cancer World, through the nastiness of chemo, through multiple surgeries, and now as I seek to rebuild my life, I treasure the women (and men) I've met through BCO who have been there for me every step of the way. I could not have done it without them and without BCO. It's the first place I send anyone who has been diagnosed or has had a loved one diagnosed. Friends, family, and loved ones are wonderful, but no one except another breast cancer survivor really understands. That's the beauty of BCO - everyone there understands.

wpmoon

I live in Hayward, CA

12/1/14 I was diagnosed with Stage 1A ER/PR/HER2+ Grade 3 IDC in my left breast.

27 at the age of diagnosis, now 28

BCO has helped me in many ways that my real friends and family couldn't. The ones around me couldn't understand my frustration at doctors, appointments, constantly having new side effects like bloody noses, eye twitching, or indigestion. The women on these boards were there to figuratively hold my hand in some of the darkest moments of treatment, to encourage me to keep going, and that there in fact was a light at the end of the tunnel. Even though I'm the youngest woman in my March chemo thread, the ladies there still understood and resonated with my struggles. I think without BCO, I would have been in a much worse mental space during my treatment.

tshire

Diagnosed 9 months before my wedding, here is me trying on my wedding dress after surgery:

Tiffany from Austin, Texas.

6/12/15 diagnosed with Stage 1A, Grade 1, ER+ PR+ HER2-, 1.3 cm, node negative IDC in right breast.

31 at diagnosis, 32 in a week.

BC.org helped me find some sense of calm during those early crazy months after my diagnosis. The ladies on the forum were so ready to help, even when I didn't know what I needed. As I prepare for chemo I know I will rely on this board just as heavily.

ruthbru

53 at diagnosis

North Dakota

IDC IIA: surgery, chemo, radiation, 5 years of Arimidex, doing great!

At first BCO was my best source for in depth and accurate information. Later it became a place of deep friendships and even fun; virtual fun on the game threads and real-time fun, because a group of us from an exercise thread has vacationed together for the last 5 years. We would have never met under any other circumstances had we not met on BCO. So, life is strange. Out of a really, really bad experience has come some golden, not silver, linings.