Go Pink!

Hello All,

Well, I was going to give you a break from heavy subjects this week, but it is not to be. October is a month with special significance to me. It is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am a breast cancer survivor. A breast cancer victor!

Three weeks from today is my birthday……and 25 years ago, on my 39th birthday, I learned I had breast cancer. (It definitely made turning 40 not a big deal!) I learned my “informal” diagnosis from the radiologist at the hospital where I worked at the time. He came out to see me immediately after reviewing my screening mammogram – which was unheard of at that time in medicine. Here was a man who looked at positive mammograms day in and day out – who I worked with and who I knew hated to deliver bad news – who looked me in the eyes, who held my hand and who told me to go see a surgeon immediately.

It is amazing to me that 25 years later it is still the truth that one out of every eight women in the United States will experience breast cancer. According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is “by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, in both developed and developing countries.” “Across the globe, there are 1.38 million new cases of breast cancer every year and over 458,000 deaths. It is especially rising in low and middle income countries. It is growing for black women – who are not only most likely to be diagnosed at a late stage, and are also most likely to die at any age from this disease. This year alone more than 2,500 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. (FYI – a man’s lifetime risk is 1 in 883.)  

It is also frightening that so many women (and men) have put off their mammograms and other routine screening exams this year secondary to this crazy Covid 19 pandemic. Mammograms remain the most important screening test – it is truly the “cornerstone of breast cancer control”. It is so very true that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the outcome.

So I am writing to tell you that if you have not gotten your mammogram this year – get it scheduled! Put on your mask, take your hand sanitizer and go get the test done. Take this important step to take care of YOU!

I am hopeful that in my lifetime there will be a cure for this cancer. In fact, I hope there will be a cure for all cancers. I hope we will reach a day where no physician has to hold someone’s hand and give bad news. However, until that day, it is so important to get your mammogram done, get your colonoscopy done, have your blood pressure checked (hypertension is a silent killer!), have your A1C checked (let’s catch issues before diabetes hits!), and GET YOUR FLU SHOT (it is that time of year – and this year the flu shot is particularly important).  Do everything possible to keep yourself healthy.

You are important to the people in your lives. You are important to me. Make sure YOU are important to YOU!

Go pink!

Phyl