Share Your Story

We may be surprised but nothing comes as a surprise to God.

I was diagnosed at age 44 with breast cancer with lymph node involvement in April 2009. I had no family history and the tumors could not be felt nor even seen in a digital mammogram.
My yearly mammogram in Feb 2009 showed 2 clusters of calcifications which were looked at with unltrasound and biopsied and both came up negative. We decided to do a prophylactic double lumpectomy anyway. Five days later I got a call from the surgeon saying they found 2 independent malignant tumors, in different quadrants, embedded in the dense tissue. Wow, what if we had not been proactive? They said they didn't have an effective way to screen me for breast cancer in the future so I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction in May 2009, where they found the cancer in my left sentinel node. With tamoxafen, zoladex and prayer, I hope I will not have to face cancer again.
I am doing great now. I praise the Lord for my life and am thankful for my wonderful family and church family who have been so supportive and encouraging to me.
I am here to say, if you have dense breast, be careful and check out everything that comes up on your mammmogram and always request a digital mammogram.
Mammograms are not fool-proof but they are the best we have, along with MRIs.

Tammy Owens
Suffolk, VA

A fighter at all times

Having lost a husband, a son, & about to lose a sister, an aunt very dear to my heart was in 2006 diagnosed with breast cancer, she went through chemo & radiation twice only for it to return & spread once again, she is now still fighting another round. I don't what i would do if i was to lose her, being so far away overseas, i love & miss her more than anything, & wish there was more i could do to help, but am thankful for this wonderful cause & site, for also helping in the process of finding a cure!

Elmarie Du Toit
Calgary, Canada

2 time survivor

When my last two chilfren were 5 and 6 I was 42 and was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy chemo and radiation. 12 years later at 54 years old I was diagnosed with a second primary breast cancer. I underwent a mastectomy. first reconstruction failed but i will be undergoing a tram flap next august after my body rests. i am a 2x survivor

mary ann williams
corning, CA

Thank YOu

My mother and grandmother both had breast cancer. So, it is an honor to click every day and have all my friends and family clicking away. I just wanted to say that in my life (62 years) I never thought that one day I would be receiving one of your free Mamograms. Thank you so much for all the support you give to so many people.

Pat Peterman
Woodbury Heights, NJ

By the Grace of a Routine Mammogram

I was born in October 1957. Six months later, my mother died of "the big C". My sister and I never knew what kind of cancer she'd had. It was a taboo discussion.

In 1998, my sister was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer after finding a lump that originally was dismissed by her gynecologist as probable cystic breasts due to caffeine consumption! That was the first time we heard that our mother died from breast cancer. In 1957 treatment was a double mastectomy and radiation, neither of which stopped the spread of her cancer. She was only 26 years old when she died. My sister 's treatment was a lumpectomy followed by aggressive chemotherapy and radiation. She participated in the trials that led to Sentinal Node Biopsy but more important,she survived.

I went for a routine mammography in May 2003, as I had done every year. I never felt a lump and felt perfectly fine. I was sent for a sonogram and then to the breast surgeon. The tumor was not even palpable to the physicians but the lumpectomy confirmed the cancer. The edges were not defined and I had additional surgery to remove more tissue. It was an aggressive form of cancer. I began chemotherapy by the 4th of July and completed radiation by Halloween. I was fatigued, had occasional nausea and lost all my hair, but I'm here today, cancer free, writing to remind all women that a mammogram could save your life as it did mine. A year and a half later, I danced at my son's wedding.

My sister and I are very grateful to the team at Stony Brook's Carol Baldwin Breast Center. And I am blessed to be alive to enjoy my grandchildren, thanks to a routine mammography.

Betty M
Smith Point, NY

Three Times The Charm

I first found a lump in 1995 when I was 31 through self breast exam but was denied access to a mammogram because "I was too young for one". Finally through much effort and self determination on my part I got one and it was breast cancer. My kids were 7 (boy) and 9 (girl). My first thoughts were, " am I going to see them grow up?" and "who was going to take care of them like I would?" I had a partial lumpectomy in the right breast, chemo and radiation, then 5 years of tamoxifen. When it was time to stop the tamoxifen I was like....what if I stop and it comes back? In 2002 I was diagnosed with a different cancer in the left breast, had a another lumpectomy, another round of chemo, this time more intense (red medicine), no hair, and radiation. Done with that then 2 months later in 2003, the cancer spread to my spine. I was told I had maybe 2 yrs to live. Had the tumor removed along with some bone (it was horrible) and then getting back up to walk...whew! More chemo and radiation and was on a maintenance drug for my bones every 30 days for a few yrs, then every 6 mos, now once a year. I am in remission and still alive and its one day away from 2010 and I am blessed that my children are grown 21 (son) and 23 (daughter) and also an 8 yr old grandson :) I thank God everyday for everyday that I am alive and I will say to you all....do your self breast exams and get your mammograms!!!!

Robin
Trenton, NJ

Life is 2 short.....

Hi, my name is Jane mother of 4 children and i have survived BC twice. At 39, I put myself on a detox diet (Liver Cleansing by Dr Sandra Cabot), one i had meant to put my ex alcoholic husband on. My left boob swelled up after a week, and i went to see my Dr. She felt a lump and i went off to have an ultrasound. Fine needle aspirations were taken from the lump and lymph node. both came back malignant. A week later i was at SCGH, 3 weeks after being on my diet, the mamogram showed the lymph reduced by 40% and Breast tumour gone!!! I started to see a naturopath Dr, I took B17 while still under the watchfull eye of my Dr at SCGH. I had my lymph nodes out and kept my boob, had chemo..........4yrs later, a mamogram showed that the cancer had returned. I decided on a double mastectomy/recon. One month later i had the massive surgery. My latt muscles in my back were used in the recon. I had genetic testing as cancer in the left breast runs in my fathers family, both sides. It came back inconclusive. Neverthe less, i had a total hysterectomy in Jan this year. In March this year my eldest son and I participated in the Big Shave and we raised $800 in just a week! I am so proud of my children, my parents and my new husband. I cherish life and those around me. Words can not explain.

Jane
Currambine, Australia

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM?

MY MOTHER AND I WERE BOTH DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER IN 2004. I HAD JUST TURNED 40, BEEN LAID OFF AND LOST ALL OF MY HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS. IT WAS IN MY LYMPH NODES AND I HAD CHEMO, SURGERY AND RADIATION. MY MOTHER WAS TREATED WITH RADIATION. WE BOTH DID OKAY UNTIL 2006. THEN WE WERE BOTH DIAGNOSED AGAIN. BOTH HAD MASTECTOMIES AND MOM HAD RECONSTRUCTION. I COULD NOT DUE TO RADIATION TREATMENTS WERE TOO SEVERE. MOM HELD ON AND FOUGHT A HARD BATTLE BUT LOST IN JANUARY 2008. JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER HER DEATH, I WAS STRICKEN ONCE AGAIN. I WAS STAGE FOUR AND HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH CHEMO SINCE THEN. I HAVE BEEN IN REMISSION BUT STILL GO FOR MY HERCEPTIN EVERY THREE WEEKS.

Rhonda Ray
Canal Winchester, OH

I am a eight year survivor!!!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2001, sixteen months after the death of my husband, due to renal cancer. At that time I was working in a psychiatrist's office. I had a right mastectomy, with chemotherapy following. My chemo was scheduled for Fridays, I had the weekend to recoupe and would return to work on Monday. My employer took Fridays off. My cancer was found early, (by me) and I never thought about dying until after all was over and I reflected back on what could have happened to me. I am so blessed, and have been for eight years now.

Ruth Ann
Seymour, IN

Cancer...can't be!!

My doctor asked me if I had a mammagram yet...told her No, that I wasn't ready too have my grapes squished. But a week later my husband found a small lump, and of course I think this is just a cyst. Why of course why would I think of it as cancer, it didn't run in the family. The 1st. mammagram that I had @the age of 55yrs. turned out was suspicious looking. That day I went for a biopsy, two weeks later another biopsy, I had another surgery. Cancer...can't be. I cried for about a week, My husband cried with me,oh it was bad. I phoned family members too see if anybody had breast cancer. Nope just me. I month later with all the nuclear medinces, x-rays, lymphosyntrigaphy, and back too the other hospital and for the final surgery. The lymphnodes were clear and hadn't spread anywhere else in my body. Thank god it was caught early enough that it was just in the tumor. I thank my husband everyday that he went too every surgery, tests, and all radiation treatment(20). Now I'm on Arimidex for 5 yrs. The oncologist said I was cancer free, but at even higher risk now. So I just take 1 day at a time.
I get very depressed, and start feeling sorry for myself, and ask why me.
I do however too bring my spirits back up, I go too my work place and get cheered up by all my co-workers and clients.
It's been hell for me, and probably the rest of you who have much worse than me.
PLEASE GET YOUR MAMMAGRAMS.....better too be safe.

So take care of those breasts and do breast exams.

God bless you all,

Rita Mate
Hope, Canada