I had my breast tumor removed last year. It was discovered while I was having a breast examination by a doctor after accompanying a friend to her check-up. I never expected a tumor to be in me, I just checked for fun.

The doctor did not give any comments on whether it was cancerous or not, just gave me some brief facts and reassurances that it might not be cancerous and such. I was really scared and I cried when I had the scanning. After less than half an hour, I had a report of the accurate size and picture of the lump.

I called my then boyfriend and family and cried. I kept thinking of dying and how I was too young to die. How the things I did will affect me, and how I will never experience the things I haven’t done. Weddings, child birth, I was only 20 going on 21. After a month of preparing myself for operation and the outcome, I checked myself at SMC Malaysia, in Sabah. Away from extended family members and friends.

I don’t want people to know, but I was ashamed. The operation was less than 2 hours, and it was my first operation. It was painful but it was not as bad as I thought. Less than a week later, I was declared cancer-free. It was like I was given another chance to live.

My point is, cancer is not a death ticket. We can fight cancer.

I had this thought that I had cancer before the operation, and I made it a point to be open minded, and to be positive that I can fight it. There are many death stories of cancer but there are also many survivors. The only thing is early diagnosis. SO please get yourself checked. Paranoia is good as it can saves lives.

I am lucky, I have resources and insurance. I think some people, especially in Malaysia, cannot afford to have an early diagnosis due to financial constraints, and government hospitals might be really cheap, but the service is bad. I might have a full report in less than an hour, but other people in government hospitals have to wait for many months to even get a report.

Cancer does not collaborate with time, and this is dangerous. Therefore the government and organizations should do something to combat this issue.

To all cancer patients and survivors, and those affected by cancer in family members, be strong. Do not let the sickness corrupt you. Cancer is curable, just be positive. Xoxo.

Anyone can share their stories do email me at. I will love to publish your stories in my blog to inspire anyone with cancer or with a loved one affected by cancer.

—Nadia Ramli

My daughter, Sierra, has had a lot in her young life to deal with. Things a lot of us never have to in our entire lives. This past summer was no different unfortunately. She lost one of her gym teachers from last year to breast cancer.

Jan was an amazing woman through Sierra’s eyes. Sierra would ask what she could do to earn an extra dollar or two so that she could take Jan a candy bar. Jan had told Sierra that the chocolate helped her fight the cancer. Sierra being the loving person that she is to everyone she meets embraced this woman knowing what the outcome could be and still loved her unconditionally.

She would come home in the evenings and tell me and my husband about the day and would talk about Jan. My husband and I both were curious about the development since she was not Sierra’s direct gym coach. However, nothing we could do would prepare Sierra for the final outcome. We had no warning of how bad it would get. No time to prepare Sierra when she found out.

She went to pick up her schedule for the school year when she received the news while asking when Jan would be back at school. Sierra cannot tell you that she picked up her schedule, she cannot tell you that she met her new principal. All she remembers of that day was that her 6th grade principal gave her the news.

We sat for two days with her crying. Unable to help her understand how to cope with this loss. The loss of someone she had come to love unconditionally, the way we should all love. I hope that everyone one day can be so loving and generous as she is. However, it doesn’t stop there. My daughter is 12 years old. She is still a child.

Instead of just crying and “getting over it,” she began to ask me for ideas of how to help change things. She wanted to know how she could make people understand and get help so that no one else would have to hurt like she was and that no one else would have to suffer like Jan did. We discussed things back and forth then she heard about the Komen Race for the Cure marathon.

Sierra decided of all things that she could do that would be easy or quick, she wanted to run the race. So I emailed the organizer. I told her the story of Sierra. I did not give any details to the race organizer of names but she knew that it was Jan. She gave the information to Jan’s daughter. Jan’s daughter in turn invited Sierra and Sierra’s best friend who was running with her to join her team “Jan’s Gang.”

When we showed up for the race they all started the race together and as they finished the race they cheered for each other. As a whole that day they were there for each other through race the same way Sierra stuck with Jan.

It’s my hope that everyone can be part of “Jan’s Gang” and remember that we are all in this together. We all are there for each other. We all deserve the love and support that we can give for one another.

—Brett Washam

I was around 8 or 9 when my Nana started asking me to help her do everyday ordinary things. She needed me to help her in the bath tub, or sweep the floor or help making the beds. I didn’t know why, at the time, but I helped.

We lived with her & my grandfather, and I knew something was up, because normally, my Nana never asked for anyone’s help.

Eventually, my mom found out that my Nana was having difficulties and insisted she go to the doctor.  Her breast was 2-3 times its normal size, red and just not HERS.

The trip to the doctor’s office yielded scary information.  It was cancer and it had been allowed to progress for some time.  She’d have to have surgery immediately.  The year was 1976.

They had to do a mastectomy, and in 1976, there weren’t a lot of options for reconstruction.  She came home with a scar and a bra that she had to blow air into in order for it to appear to have a breast in it. 

This was so embarrassing for her, and she was always concerned that they were lopsided.  It would eventually become a joke but I remember the hurt in her face.  She’d lost an important part of herself.  But she moved on, and would go on to live another THIRTY YEARS – and face another bout with cancer (uterine) that she’d again beat. 

Both times, she had a surgery, but no chemo, no radiation.  She kicked cancer’s ASS.  She was the strongest woman I’ve ever know.  We would eventually lose her to a more insidious disease – Alzheimer’s – but she will always have that legacy in our family. 

She kicked cancer’s ASS – TWICE! My Nana.

—Dawn

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has somewhat of a different meaning for me being diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.   I don’t consider myself a “survivor” yet as I’m still in treatment.  I’m “surviving!” It has been a challenging past six months for me, without my family and friends support I know I wouldn’t have made it this far. 

Even though I have no hair, no eyebrows, dark nails and have lost weight just to name a few side affects from treatment I feel VERY BLESSED!

It was March 2008, most things were right in my world.  I was planning to go to the “Big Easy” to celebrate my 42nd birthday.  I felt a lump in my right breast when my hand grazed the top of it while pulling a t-shirt over my head.  I had my yearly Well Woman visit scheduled for later in the month, so I figured I would bring it to my doctor’s attention. 

Didn’t think much of it, so I headed to New Orleans and had a wonderful time. Upon my return, I went for my yearly check up – my doctor agreed, the lump felt odd.  I had two abnormal mammograms in past years that didn’t amount to anything I needed to be concerned with, so I naturally thought this was the case with the recent finding.

My doctor sent me for a diagnostic mammogram.  The Radiologist said the lump was “suspicious” and scheduled me for a biopsy the next week.  On March 28th I was told the words no woman should ever hear – “I’m sorry but you have breast cancer.”

Specifics about my breast cancer:
It is Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) – In Situ (noninvasive) breast cancer refers to cancer in which the cells have remained within their place of origin — they haven’t spread to breast tissue around the duct or lobule. The most common type of noninvasive breast cancer is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is confined to the lining of the milk ducts. The abnormal cells haven’t spread through the duct walls into surrounding breast tissue.

I am Hormone Receptor Negative.  HER2 Positive – This gene drives production of the growth-promoting HER2 protein.  About one out of every five breast cancers is HER2 positive, meaning these cancers have greater than normal amounts of the HER2 protein. These cancers tend to grow and spread more aggressively than do other cancers.

The tumor was actually pretty small being 1.9 cm.   In May I had surgery, a Lumpectomy and Sentinel node biopsy to remove the tumor from my right breast and 18 Lymph Nodes from my right armpit in which two were determined cancerous.   In June I had surgery for the installation for a Medi-port in my right upper chest area for the administering of the chemotherapy drugs.

My cancer was classified as Stage II, which is considered to be early detection.  In this stage of breast cancer the tumor is fairly small in size but has spread to lymph nodes in the armpit OR cancer that is somewhat larger but has not spread to the lymph nodes.

My treatment regimen is 6 cycles of Chemotherapy.  I received Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin every 21 days.  I finished my last chemotherapy treatment on September 19th.

Although I won’t be receiving any more chemotherapy drugs I will still have to return every 21 days for the next six months to be administered the drug Herceptin.   Herceptin was included in my “chemo cocktail” all though it is not a chemotherapy drug.  Because of the type of breast cancer I have I must have this treatment for a full year.

It is a monoclonal antibody that is a type of biological therapy.  Herceptin only works on breast cancer patients with high levels of the protein HER2 such as I have.  This prevents the cancer cells from multiplying and growing.

Next up for me is Radiation Therapy.  In which I will have to go for treatment everyday for 6.5 weeks.   I will be meeting with the Radiologist Oncologist in the next 2-3 weeks for my Radiation consultation – treatment will begin some time in October.

My life has not been the same since March 28th 2008.  But, I think this experience will make me a better person and help me view and live my life differently.   I’m hoping my experience can help someone else.  

PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE, women do a monthly self-breast exam.  Don’t wait until you are 40 to have a mammogram – if you suspect something is wrong, or have a family history of breast cancer request one, even if your doctor says you are too young or doesn’t feel you need one.  And remember, men get breast cancer too! 

Men, encourage the women in your life to check their breast regularly.  I wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy!  I will be walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 18th wish me luck!

Every hour 5 women die from breast cancer and 20 women will be told, “you have breast cancer.”

—by FL Hopkins