You Know Better!

I am going off the rails with this post today. I have May Flowers- NEROLI all ready to go. Instead, I have decided to share something with you that I shared with my personal Facebook Friends earlier today. 

I hope it impacts your life in a positive way. 

This past Thanksgiving my husband and I hosted a dinner party for three other couples and their children. These are some of our favorite people.

It was such a fun relaxing evening. Lots of food, drink, story telling and laughter.

We had no idea at the time that just weeks later one of the beautiful women sitting at that table would be fighting for her life because she would be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Nor did we know that a second of those incredible women would be diagnosed with breast cancer a few months later.

For those who have trouble with math, that's 2 out of 4; or 1/2 of the four women who sat there talking, reminiscing and giggling that night.

I'm not giggling anymore. I sit here thinking of the six beautiful young ladies (and the three young men) that sat in another room watching television and eating pizza while their parents reminisced and told stories they really didn't want those kids to hear.

Two of those beautiful girls are my daughters. One is my husband's Goddaughter. She started kindergarten this year. Her sister

started high school this year. Their mom is one of the two battling breast cancer right now. She recently had a double mastectomy and is currently undergoing radiation treatments. She's winning her fight the hard way.

Another of those amazing girls has already battled for her life. (She acquired a disease at the age of 2 that required a kidney transplant. She is now 13. She will continue to battle the effects that disease took on her little body for the rest of her life.) Her sister is graduating from high school in a few weeks. With her grades she had her pick of fine colleges. She chose to go to her mom's alma matter, Drexel University in Philly. The last of those six girls found out that her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. It's too early to know what her battle will entail, but we know that she will fight like a girl and come out in first place.

All of these girls deserve to grow up in a world where they don't have the worry of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Wouldn't a vaccine be great?

This past Saturday one of my bff's hosted a jewelry party to raise money for the Susan G. Komen 3-day Walk for the Cure. She does this walk every year to honor the memory of her mom who lost her battle with breast cancer several years ago. She walks for her sister who has been diagnosed, battled and is still winning her THREE-time battle with breast cancer. She walks for other friends and family members, but most importantly she walks for her three beautiful daughters so that they won't have to battle this disease the way their aunt and grandmother have.

My cousin also participates in the 3-day walk every year. After losing her mom to brain cancer a few years ago she decided she needed to get all of those tests done that you are supposed to do as you get older, but usually put off. I think God took my aunt at that very time so that my cousin would go take those tests. She took the tests, she caught her breast cancer early, she fought it, and she walks as a survivor.

Yesterday I read that 1 in 7 women is diagnosed with breast cancer. If those were the odds to win a few bucks in the lottery, I would play knowing that I could actually win. This breast cancer lottery is not one that I want to play or win. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to play. No woman has a choice.

I had my first mammogram after I turned 40. Something showed up in my left breast. I had to have additional views taken. It was still there. So, I had to have an ultrasound. Still there. I could continue with these tests so that they could tell me it was still there, or I could go ahead and get a biopsy. I opted for the biopsy. I mean, let's get this over with already. I was lucky. My biopsy results were benign. This time.

None of these exams are fun. I don't know anyone who looks forward to having her boobs stuck in acrylic and photographed or having a needle stuck in her breast so that a piece of tissue can be pulled out to be tested. But the alternative is much less fun. I'm not ready to die. My girls need me. So, I will do the self-exam and I will get my mammograms and I will donate my time, talent and treasure to help find a cure so that my daughters and yours don't have this worry. Neither of my girls is patient enough to sit for hours while poison is circulated through their bodies. They are beautiful, but way too vain for the bald head-look. Neither of them is fond of throwing up. So, we are going to need a cure that's quick and easy. Do your part. Donate your time, talent and/or treasure so we can find one.

Take care of yourself. Call your doctor. Ask for a mammogram referral. Make the appointment. Get the mammogram and results. Repeat.

Don't have insurance?

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/InsuranceandOtherFinancialIssues.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/13/earlyshow/series/main577822.shtml

Don't know how to perform a self-exam?

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-detection

Understanding breast cancer:

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/UnderstandingBreastCancer.html

Breast cancer in men:

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/FactsForMen.html

There is so much information available online. Got a question? Google it!

Oprah always quotes Maya Angelou, "When you know better, you do better."

You know better.

Now, go do better!