Sunday, October 30, 2011

Happy October!

This is a repost from a year ago. The ArtsyGirl Connection is doing a blog hop on breast cancer awareness, and I thought I'd link up!


This is my grandmother. She's pretty much amazing.



When I was little, I used to think all grandmothers were like her. I have three grandmothers total (my mom's parents got divorced and remarried), but since two of them didn't live close by when I was growing up, my dad's mom (Gramma) was the closest to us, and we visited often.
When I grew up I realized just how unique my grandmother really is.


This is not to say that my other grandparents aren't amazing, they are, but in different ways. Anyway, back to my Gramma. A few years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I don't remember the year, and I don't remember the circumstances, only that I was shocked that something like this could happen in my family. Isn't that always the way? Thankfully it was easily treatable, she had a few rounds of radiation, and she's been in remission for long enough to have to stop seeing her oncologist (I believe)!

Others that I've known haven't been as lucky. Mrs. S was a wonderful woman who went to my childhood church for a few years. She tutored me in math for an hour once a week (for a whopping $3 an hour, can you imagine that? I make $11 to tutor now!) Anyway, Mrs. S had moved onto a bigger church for a while before I heard through the grapevine that she had breast cancer. It went into remission, but a few years later when I babysat for her, I discovered that it was back. This time around she lost her battle with it.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Are you aware of breast cancer? Chances are the answer is yes. It's a very "popular" form of cancer, unlike the rarer forms like pancreatic cancer, for example. There is a lot of information and awareness of breast cancer and, as my husband says, all the rest have to rely on the American Cancer Society. So if everyone has heard of breast cancer, it's all over the news and Susan G. Komen is a powerful influence on breast cancer research, then how come every 69 seconds a woman dies of breast cancer? According to the CDC, 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 (the most recent year these statistics were taken). 40,820 of them died of breast cancer. For all the facts and information out there about breast cancer, shouldn't there be fewer deaths?

I didn't want to post this here to lecture you, but ladies, once a month (not around your period, your breasts are lumpier then), please check your tatas. Learn them, remember what they feel like so as soon as you notice something different, it won't be too late. Just think about it, and maybe give it a shot this month, since October is breast cancer awareness month. Next time, pay attention when Target is advertising pink merchandise, go take a shower, and feel yourself up. It could save your life.

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