In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month I spoke with a local mother in my town about her experience. I was not prepared for what she told me. Cancer is scary and it's something many people face, every day. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. It is estimated that in 2024, 310,720 women will be diagnosed, and 2,800 men. It's important that men and women know the facts about breast cancer.
You can find a lot of information, resources and facts at https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-facts/
I spoke with Kelly C, a Weymouth mom who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2017. She recalls the exact day that she received the news...
"On October 25th 2017, just a month after my 42nd birthday, we were at Logan Airport in Boston, heading to our first ever family vacation to Disney world. That is where and when I received the call that my biopsy came back and I had breast cancer in my right breast. I wasn’t given any more information than that at first and had no idea just how many types, stages and grades of breast cancer there actually was.
I have been diligent about mammograms and have been getting them since I was 30. My mom, sister, aunt and cousin all had breast cancer but none had any gene. When I was pregnant with my daughter McKinlee they found something on my right ovary and they were to take it out when I had my c~section with her. The growth was benign but large so they took the whole ovary out. That is when they recommended that I get genetic testing. My testing came back with me having the Chek2 gene, which most people I speak to have never heard of. People are much more familiar with the Brca gene being associated with breast cancer but this gene was in fact associated with breast ovarian and colon cancer. This is when I went in for the breast MRI that resulted in the biopsy.
While in Disney I was told that I needed to have surgery right away and that it was rather early (they had hoped) and will probably not need radiation and chemo if I had a mastectomy. Our vacation wasn’t all that one would hope for with all the fear and angst filling my brain. My mom needed her daughter, my girls needed their mother and My husband needed his wife!
Once in with the breast surgeon and oncologist I decided to have a double mastectomy. I never Ever wanted me or my family to have to go through any of this again. During the surgery the Surgeon only took one sentinel node because she thought it looked good….. but it wasn’t.
I had to go back into surgery for a full auxiliary node dissection where they found 7 out of 11 nodes were positive for cancer. This is where I found out about re-staging. I went from stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma to stage III, grade III and now needed 6 months of chemo and 7 weeks of radiation. This surgery also brought along Lymphedema and nerve damage that I am still in physical therapy for. I lost all my hair with chemo and radiation was a whole different monster. Watching my 2 & 4 year old struggle and try to understand what was happening to their momma still breaks my heart each and every day.
Even when you have great insurance you don’t take into account all of the additional costs that come along with a cancer diagnosis. Things like additional child care, medical garments, co-payments ranging anywhere from $20-$1000 each. All of this in addition to mortgage, car and utility bills. It is scary watching them pile up. With me being out on disability receiving 50% of my income and my husband not getting paid for all the days he took off.
There is a cruel myth about surviving cancer. In this myth, when the medical treatment is successful the story ends. We are expected to pick up our lives where we left off. The real story does not end this way, instead we live in limbo on uncertain ground. Anxiety over scans, biopsies, chemo brain, aches, pains and lots of brand new medications with lots of brand new side effects. So having family, friends and community support was crucial.
I ended up having 5 breast cancer surgeries, 6 months of chemo and 8 weeks of radiation.
I’ve met hundreds of local women and one man battling cancer. We have dates and meet ups and tragically many are no longer with us today. One beautiful young woman in her twenties passed a few years ago.''
I'm very grateful that Kelly wanted to share her story with me. My wish is that it will bring Hope to those facing Breast Cancer right now, or are in limbo, like Kelly said can happen.
If you are someone who is coping with cancer, please remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
