In October 2008 (on Halloween day no less), I had my first base line mammogram. I was 37yrs old and had been begging for a mammogram since I was 35yrs old. My mother had breast cancer so I was uneasy. Ten days later, I was called to come back in for a second mammogram. During the second mammogram, the nurse told me that I needed a biopsy. Two weeks later I had a biopsy, which I remember as being scary & painful. The doctor went out to the waiting room and told my sister that I had breast cancer. My sister didn't say a word, she waited for the test results to come back and for the doctor to tell me. I immediately met with a surgeon, who was kind enough to see me on Christmas Eve day. My surgery was scheduled for January 11, 2009. I had stage 0 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). My cancer was confined to duct and had not spread to healthy breast tissue. I had a partial mastectomy (this is how my doctor referred to it because of the area they had to remove 4cm x 5cm x 6cm) and four lymph glands removed. I started radiation treatments six weeks after my surgery. I had radiation everyday for six weeks. This was a precautionary measure because everyone from my surgeon to my radiation oncologist kept saying that thanks to early detection, after surgery I was considered "cured". I learned that early detection saves lives. I turned down Tamoxifin because I wanted to have children. Three years after my surgery, I gave birth to a beautiful boy. Fight for your right to have a mammogram. Fight for your right to be a warrior and survivor!

Nicole Jaunal Jackson
Houston, TX