Breast Cancer

Some of you already know that I participated in Komen's Philadelphia Race for a Cure this past Mother's Day. As I walked along, I thought to myself, "I have to post something about this amazing event in the forum."

A friend of mine had a double mastectomy a few months ago. She has a strong family history of breast cancer, so she was very good about keeping up with breast exams, mammograms, etc. Her mammogram showed a small suspicious area in one of her breasts and a biopsy proved it was indeed malignant. The other breast appeared normal, but she made the decision to have both breasts removed. After the surgery, she learned that the "normal" breast also had cancer. Thankfully they found and removed the cancer before any lymph nodes were affected, and she is now in the process of "reconstruction."

When her daughter started a group for the "race," I joined without giving it a second thought. It was something I had intended on doing for years, but now it was personal and I knew it was time to take action instead of contemplating.

The volume of people and the personal stories they wore on their t-shirts made an impact on me that I can't accurately describe. Most of us know someone who has suffered with cancer and some of us know several. But to see THOUSANDS of families and friends gathered to honor the ones they love/loved was indescribable.

My aunt died on the previous Wednesday after battling stomach/liver cancer. So the suffering that takes place with cancer was fresh in mind. As I looked around at the countless number of people, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I walked behind groups of young children who had lost their mother to this disease, or a group of twenty that had lost their grandmother, or a man who had breast cancer and wore a shirt which read "REAL MEN WEAR PINK."

And then there were the survivors. Brave women.....and men, that were finished their treatment. So thankful to be alive and to be participating in this Mother's Day event. They made me recall my own diagnosis of melanoma back in 2002 and the March '07 milestone which meant I was also a survivor.

Please....get involved. Involved with taking the best care of yourself that you can. Involved with helping others that are struggling with this disease. Use your voice to demand that politicians, medical institutions and insurance companies use THEIR muscle to help end the suffering of cancer. And don't forget to pray.....which is the most powerful tool of all.

with love,