My Breast Cancer Awareness

So it’s October again and breast cancer awareness month. The month with all the pink ribbons everywhere and all the fundraising for breast cancer everything. There is so much “awareness” out there in the community, in the news and on the internet about breast cancer. But many of us struggle with how that awareness correlates into our lives and the lives of our family. I certainly didn’t make the connection in my own life/family. Ask yourself some questions when you see the pink ribbon: “what does this mean for me”? “Do I have a family history of breast cancer”? “Does the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene run in my family on either side”? These genes on your Dad’s side are just as important as on your Mom’s side. “Do I do self-breast exams regularly”? “How many people do I know who have had breast cancer”? “Am I being as proactive as I can be”? Early detection does NOT mean survival will be better or make outcomes more positive. As a stage 2 (considered early stage) survivor in 2012, I am now fighting stage 4 metastatic cancer starting in 2017. Although early detection is considered “better” it’s not a win for all patients. What if we could prevent cancer?  Is our focus on a cure really effective at this point in the fight against breast cancer?

One of my favorite quote: “awareness doesn’t do a dam thing without inspiration”. Pretty much every cancer or illness has a dedicated day or month where we talk about it, raise money for and support. What do we do with all the awareness that is out there about all the statistics for cancer, diabetes and other illnesses? We need the inspiration to turn awareness (aka the pink ribbon) into action. That should be the goal of “awareness month”, getting beyond the awareness, the ribbons, and the colors. Turning all that awareness into action with sustainable healthy choices you get excited about.  Change comes in different shapes and sizes. Make the connections between the awareness and how it relates to you, your family and your friends.

Cancer changes everything, it changes your perspectives and priorities, many times in a better more aware direction. But there are a lot of negative aspects of dealing with cancer for both the patient/survivor as well as the family and friends. Lots of things change, and it’s hard on the relationships all around you. Watching someone go through cancer is often times harder than dealing with it yourself as a patient.  So many of you reading this have been touched by cancer in some way, shape, or form.  The time has come to shift “awareness” into actions that support prevention and not a cure. Imagine a world where cancer (breast cancer and others) could be prevented.  To quote my good friend Jill, the traditional treatment for breast cancer is to cut, burn and poison (surgery, radiation and chemo). Survivors choose one of these options, all of them or non of them. But what if we didn’t have to make this choice?  What if there was something we could do differently. It could be a medicine, supplement, blood test, diet ect. that directly relates to a specific type of cancer prevention. The possibilities are out there for prevention but we all need to shift the focus together. I truly believe that prevent should be the focus and that we need a shift in thinking in how to treat cancer and those at high risk. Preventing is the key!  I also believe that if we know how to prevent cancer from growing it will lead to a cure because we will understand better how cancer works and why it is different for each person. Everyone’s cancer is different and right now we put cancer patients in different boxes and treat everyone in the box the same way, despite genetics, lifestyle and predispositions.  Think about your loved ones who have been affected by cancer. Think about your children and grandchildren. I think we would all agree we would do anything in our power to protect them from ever dealing with a cancer diagnosis at any age! One of my main motivations for prevention is my daughter, my nieces and nephews and my friends children. The history of breast cancer in my family is strong. And to have any of our children (between all of us six siblings we have 15 children, 9 are girls) have to deal with this at any age is heart breaking. I want there to be better options for them. They should not have to deal with surgery as a way to prevent breast cancer (mastectomy & oophorectomy plus hormone blocking meds). How is this the only option right now for girls who are at high risk and want to prevent (not detect early). Early detection just makes you a cancer survivor who has to make the choice to cut, burn or poison. 

We need to do better! We need to do more! Be thoughtful with your support during breast cancer awareness month. Ask questions and make sure you are supporting a cause you know to be helping patients and survivors.

Xo – Erin