Posted by
Annie Hamilton on Monday, October 06, 2008 12:10:28 PM
Pick up any magazine or turn on the television and you're bombarded by reminders that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Perhaps you feel a twinge of sadness for a favorite Aunt of years past or even a Spouse. Truly, awareness has never been more prevalent within our society, products and people alike quietly displaying pink ribbons in support of a disease that they SAY affects one in eight women, but that isn't true. Breast Cancer affects every person. It affects the patient, that patient's spouse, their children, their parents and siblings, their friends, cousins, aunts and uncles, co-workers, church members, neighbors, and even other cancer patients.
Survival rates usually depend on early detection but clearly prevention is best and with that in mind, the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and the Avon Foundation, (leading Champions in BC Research) have teamed up to create what is now referred to as the "Army of Women" or more formally, the "Love/Avon Army of Women"
This is by far, from what I've been able to find, the most AGGRESSIVE endeavor ever undertaken to stomp out breast cancer once and for all. The way it's positioned to do so is by gathering a group of women (through networking, marketing, websites, etc) from all walks of life, health, etc., whether or not you've had BC, are a Survivor, are high risk (You've lost someone in your family to BC or they're a survivor) and by partnering with Key Researchers, Physicians and top Scientists through the Site (www.armyofwomen.org)
The data that is gathered through the studies conducted through the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation/Avon Foundation will provide connectivity, commonalities, familiar 'threads' if you will, 'leading' Science to the singular point of entry, thereby eradicating it forever. This is the goal.
Breast Cancer first entered my life shortly before my fifteenth birthday when my Mother was diagnosed with IBC or Inflammatory Breast Cancer. She was 36 years old, struggling to save a marriage and raise three children and raise us in a household with conservative values. She kept those treatments up for approx 18 months and went into remission which defied the odds of everyone (except for herself) especially her physician who gave her 3 to 6 months, saying her chances were 1 in 4 to which she defiantly replied, 'fine, i'm the one!!' later, the lymphadema started, then heart failure, which necessitated a 5-way by-pass surgery, and gall bladder removal.
Years later, at her 20 year anniversary, she was diagnosed again with breast cancer and had a Masectomy. We've referred to her as the cat with nine lives because it's almost like she's a tank that won't go down - who has a 5-way by-pass? I have a strong research history and didn't even KNOW there WERE 5 ways into the heart!!!
More recently a friend of mine died from complications of BC. In truth, even as a newer friend, she was easily the bravest person I've met to date, other than my husband. She took on tasks and didn't complain. She'd sit and talk for hours, laughing at stories about her girls and different things happening around her and you almost forgot she was being treated for a devastating disease. In fact, she had been doing better and I was shocked to hear that she went downhill so quickly.
Debbie was young, only 49, was crazy-nuts about her family, especially her husband, had alot of friends, laughed (actually her laugh was kind of a cross between a sultry woman and a mischevious little girl - you wanted to know what she knew!) she was well traveled, smart, patient with crafty stuff (my sewing and quilting skills absolutely blow but hers were first class - one day at my funeral, my kids will get up and talk about how I tried to make a family quilt and 'ruined' all of their baby clothes!)
She patiently walked me through the ins and outs of different high schools in our community prior to making permanent choices for our children. It was so difficult but she knew exactly what to say and was to the point and gentle about it. She knew about test scores, College expectations, what they look for, ins and outs of the different ones and how to specifically help HER girls get the most out of their own experience. In Motherhood and nesting, she really shone. Ask a question about one of them and it was like being interviewed by Bill O'Reilly about your Nobel Prize.
Debbie advocated action to Women - take care of yourselves, if you order dessert, make sure you get a vegetable as well. Get your Mammogram & Pap Smear, etc. Do your self-exams in the shower, right after your period. And please consider joining the Army of Women. We need you. You need Us. I signed up in honor of Mom and in memory of Debbie, my friend. A beautiful person who is now resting and sharing that hearty belly laugh with our Savior.