My thoughts for Breast cancer Awareness Month

Just wanted to share a letter I wrote for my family and friends...

-Ruth 

My Dear Family and Friends,

I am writing this letter as my contribution to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Though licking yogurt tops and wearing pink ribbons may serve to raise awareness of the need for breast cancer research, I hope I can offer you some first-hand insights into this dreadful disease. 

First, breast cancer is not one condition.  There are many permutations of the disease.  There is lobular and ductal which can be invasive or non-invasive.  There is inflammatory breast cancer which moves through the lymphatics.  There are cancers that fed by estrogen, progesterone, or both.  There are some that express something called Her2 and some that don't.  Each of these variables impact treatment decisions and response.

When cancer becomes advanced, it is not necessarily due to lack of self-exams or yearly mammograms.  I, myself, was followed every three months by a surgeon with exams and mamos for 5 years prior to my diagnosis.  I had a benign lumpectomy in 2000 and even though a lump began forming on the scar, the medical community determined it to be scar tissue.  A watch and wait approach was adopted and I accepted that.  In the summer of 2005 I could actually see the lump when I pulled my shoulders back.  I insisted on a biopsy for my peace of mind.

My cancer turned out to actually be 4 distinctive types - lobular, lobular in-situ, ductal, and ductal in-situ.  By the time I had my mastectomy; cancer had moved to and completely replaced 13 of my lymph nodes.  Since then, I have had chemo, radiation, and 2 years of hormone-binding therapy.  Despite all of this, the cancer has now spread to my bones.  More treatment is ahead of me on this arduous journey.  I know that my faith and my loved ones have kept my spirit strong so far.  I am confident as I put one foot in front of the other and move forward.

One thing I hope you will recognize and acknowledge is that it is not weakness of character, lack of faith, a poor diet, bad behavior, or unresolved guilt that causes cancer to grow.  Oncologists assure us that it takes many, many variables for cancer to occur.  No one thing "caused" it. Your awareness that cancer is not a consequence of mistakes in life is important as you support cancer survivors during this month. 

My message to all of you out there, women and men, it to trust your instincts, listen to your body.  If you feel something strange, even if the scans come out clear, insist on a biopsy.  They will do it if you are adamant.  I remember wondering, several years ago when I heard that Linda McCartney died of breast cancer, "How can this happen, in this day and age, to a women with all the money in the world for medical care?"  Well, the answer is that cancer is a sneaky beast!  No person's illness is the same and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.  Ultimately, all of our destinies lie in the hands of our creator.

Peace to you.

Love,

Ruth