What does breast cancer awareness mean to me?

Taylor Bembery
Associate Editor

October is the month that we recognize and raise awareness for those that are fighting, lost, or survived the battle with breast cancer. According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, in 2014 an estimated 232,040 new cases of invasive breast cancer will to be diagnosed among women in the United States.

Caucasian women have the highest rates of breast cancer rates, followed by African-American women, with the lowest rates being among Asian/Pacific Islander women. In contrast, breast cancer death rates are highest for African-American women, followed by Caucasian women.

I think often times people only believe that the person affected by the cancer diagnoses is the patient but the family of the patient suffers as well. When someone in your family is diagnosed with not just breast cancer, but cancer period, it is very scary.

On my paternal side of the family, cancer has had a devastating effect. My grandfather, father, uncle, and aunt were all diagnosed with cancer. All have since lost the battle except for my uncle, who is currently in remission from prostate cancer. I lost my father to cancer in November of 2013, so I am directly affected by the illness. It is something I have deal with on a daily basis knowing that people are battling and dying from an illness that currently has no cure.

Being aware of your body is crucial when it comes to any cancer related illness. You must know your body and I honestly have failed to get any type of screening for cancer even though it is prevalent in my family. I know it sounds crazy but it is a fear for me. I have witnessed my family members deteriorate from chemo-therapy and radiation treatments and become terminally ill. It is something that will never be erased from memory

I know my motto is “I love telling your story” but I have to live to tell those stories. I want to find strength and be able to face my fears of knowing my body. I am very health conscious but when it comes to the “Big C” word I get a little nervous because of my family history. I think the most important thing we can all do as people is be aware as of what is going on inside our bodies.

My father kept his cancer diagnosis a secret from my entire family and it was too late. However, it is not too late for me and anyone else to get screened for breast cancer or any cancer for that matter.

According to the American Cancer Society, screening increases the chances of detecting certain cancers early, when they are most likely to be curable.  For people aged 20 or older having periodic health exams, a cancer-related check-up should include health counseling and, depending on a person’s age and gender, exams for cancers of the breast, thyroid, oral cavity, skin, lymph nodes, testes, and ovaries, as well as for some non-malignant (non-cancerous) diseases.

I challenge myself and anyone else to get screened for cancer by the end of the year because self-awareness is the most important awareness of all.