Many of you have probably heard the story of my mom, Natalie. She’s the reason why Angela started KVINNA. Her cancer battle ultimately ended with her life and I absolutely wish it hadn’t, but with the tragedy it has lit a fire under me to personally share her story and the importance of breast screenings with the women in my community. I learned a lot from my mom’s experience but here are 5 things I want to share with you today.
Lesson #1
Testing Negative For The BRCA Gene Doesn’t Mean You Are In The Clear
Lesson #2
If You Find a Lump, Even Shortly After A Clear Screening Result Don’t Ignore It!
Lesson #3
Reconstructive Surgery Might Not Be Worth It
My mom had a double mastectomy after her stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis. She opted for a reconstructive surgery that took muscles from her back and brought them up front. This provided a more natural look but ultimately was something she regretted. The recovery was very hard on her body and we think this may have been related to her cancer returning in full force months later, this time progressing to stage 4. After watching my mom go through this I think its worth considering holding off on reconstructive surgery until after your body and immune system have time to recover.
Lesson #4
Mammograms Don’t Always Work On Dense Breast Tissue
I know this is a topic discussed frequently at KVINNA. There are some great articles you can look up to learn more specifics so I won’t go into the details of why here, but most women don’t even know if they have dense breast tissue. It is not a topic that is discussed during most mammograms. My mom’s mammogram missed her cancer due to her dense breast tissue. My mom was not educated at the time of her screening. She learned about the need for extra screening for dense breast tissue after her diagnosis. Had she known, she would have asked for supplemental screening and she would likely still be here today. If you aren’t sure about the density of your breast tissue ask your healthcare provider or make an appointment with KVINNA!
Lesson #5
Healthy Living isn’t Always Enough
Lifestyle choices, exercise, diet, they all play a role in cancer. My mom wasn’t perfect by any means, but she was very aware of theses factors and didn’t want to do things that would potentially increase her chances of cancer. In a world where everyone is screaming what they think needs to be done in order to, stay healthy, loose weight, avoid cancer – fill in the blank. It is really hard to know what to do or not do. Honestly I think a big part of this is individual, but at the end of the day you can try to avoid certain foods, exercise, spend time in prayer/meditation, and still get cancer. I wouldn’t say that my mom lived in fear of getting breast cancer, but it was something that was on her mind intermittently. I am a big proponent for believing that our minds are very powerful. Focusing too much on what we want to avoid isn’t the route I would take, rather focus on keeping your mind and body strong and healthy. At the end of the day, we don’t have complete control so just do the best you can with what you have.
It has been two and a half years since my mom lost her battle with cancer. I truly believe that the education and technology KVINNA provides is and will continue to save lives. Instead of reading this and thinking, “I hope this doesn’t happen to me or someone I love,” let this be a gentle reminder that you can be the one to educate and encourage women in your life to take control over their health.
Written By: Nichole Launder
IG @littleurbanlife
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