Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with SheSpeaks and P&G. However, all opinions expressed are my own. One in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. This is certainly a very sobering thought. It could affect any one of us or the women who we know and love in our lives. Sadly, death rates are much higher among African American and Latina women. Every hour and a half, a Latina woman dies of breast cancer in the United States. Have I got your attention now? I'm sure that you have been inundated with breast cancer awareness messages this month but the one message that I want you to receive is that early detection saves lives! Due to medical advances that have been made in modern times, the five year survival rate for women who are diagnosed during the early stage is 98%. Without a doubt, early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. As you are all aware, fighting cancer is one of my main priorities … [Read more...]
Spread Breast Cancer Awareness In Your Community! @PGEveryday #PGBestDefense #Giveaway
Early Detection Saves Lives! #PhilipsBCA @PhilipsHealth #Giveaway #Ad
This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Philips Healthcare. However, all opinions expressed are my own. My Mammography Story: Many of you have virtually held my hand recently when I went through my first mammogram screening and callback scare. Although it was terrifying to worry about possibly being told I have breast cancer, I am aware that early detection saves lives and the earlier, the better. That is why Philips is taking action to fight breast cancer by raising awareness through education, empowerment, and encouragement. I never imagined that I would be getting my first mammogram at age 36 but, this summer when I had my yearly gynecological appointment, I shared on my health screening form that my paternal great-grandmother had died of breast cancer. As a result, my gynecologist gave me the option of having an initial mammogram screening before age 40 due to the family history. Believe me, I was very scared but I knew that it was better to be … [Read more...]
The Dreaded Mammogram Callback
As many of you know, I went in to have my first mammogram last week after I was advised to do so by my gynecologist due to my paternal great grandmother having had breast cancer. It was supposed to be just a screening and, although the technician warned me that many women get callbacks after their first exam, I didn't really expect that it would be anything but normal. Unfortunately, nothing is ever that easy so I received a letter from the imaging place over Labor Day weekend asking me to return for a follow-up mammogram. The letter said that there was a "finding" that they wanted take further images of. It was terrifying and I couldn't help feeling that I was part of a cruel joke. You see, I'm only 36 so I was expecting everything to be alright because most women don't even have to have a mammogram until they turn 40. Also, I'm already living with Leukemia so the thought of having to deal with a secondary cancer is just too much to even have to wrap my head around. … [Read more...]
I Had My First Mammogram!
This past week, I scheduled my yearly appointment at they gynecologist to get a pap smear before going back to work in September. Prior to being examined, I answered a series of routine questions about my health and the medications that I am currently taking in order to get my doctor up to date on everything. One of the questions asked if there is a history of breast cancer in my family and I remembered to jot down that my paternal great-grandmother died from it. It never occurred to me that this would bring up the whole issue of having a mammogram with my gynecologist. After all, women don't have to start having them until they are forty, right? Apparently I was wrong because my doctor explained to me, as we debriefed in her office after my physical exam, that she likes to schedule an initial mammogram consultation for patients who are 35 if they have any kind of family history of breast cancer. I was faced with the following choice: Have a mammogram now and … [Read more...]
