Pretty in Pink – What You Don’t Know
Breast cancer is not one size fits all. Some women will be survivors, and others will be taken by this disease. Every woman is affected. Statistics from the American Cancer Society are sobering. In the United States in 2018:
- 1 in 8 Women will Develop Breast Cancer
- 266,120 New Cases of Invasive Breast Cancer will be diagnosed
- 63,960 New Cases of Non-Invasive Breast Cancer will be diagnosed
- 40,920 Women will die from Breast Cancer, most between the ages of 55-64
- About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer.
- For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, except lung cancer.
I think I was lucky. A routine mammogram caught my cancer early. Testing of the tumor revealed that I was at high risk for recurrence, informing my oncologist about the best form of treatment. Yes, for the rest of my life I will be closely monitored, but I’m okay with that. I’m a survivor.
Please, schedule your mammogram. And never, ever tell a bald woman that you don’t want to “get your girls squeezed” (yes, this happened to me). Encourage the women in your life – mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, aunts, friends, clients – to get their mammograms. Your life is worth fighting for.
Often times we make our own “luck” by developing healthy habits. You are a VERY healthful person and attend to recommended screening tests. “Lucky” for us,you do! Thanks for the stats (didn’t realize that 85% of cases were from families with no history) and the encouragement to schedule regular mammograms.
I was surprised by the 85% stat. It’s easy to put things off because of fear. The good news is that reality is almost always better than the monsters we create out of fear!