Breast cancer, should we be afraid?

October is the breast cancer month. Every year there will be events to raise fund and create awareness, pink ribbons given out, seminars, TV programs, etc.  If you are ever involved, you will know that it’s seasoning.

I am a breast cancer survival.  I had mine 10 years ago, and it was pretty scary.  I meant to write a series of articles for newspaper from the patient’s point of view, I never finished it.  In fact, I wrote about 3 pieces already and need another two for the set.  Maybe I’ll do that this year and publish it next October.

I think reading from another patient’s experience can help patients cope with their problems.  In fact, when my oncologist (cancer doctor) learned that I can speak, he asked me to talk in several events over the years.  In fact, I once had a job candidate asked me during interview about my cancer, which startled me.  It turned out to do her homework for the interview, she searched my name in the Google, and found pages of my reference to do with cancer.  You see, they made me the president of the Thai Breast Friends Club, a support group for breast cancer.  

 

It’s not that I’m most qualified for dedicated, farthest from the truth, but it’s because they couldn’t find anyone who would accept it.  So I have had the title since they started the club until now.  I really should resign, as I have done hardly anything for them in the past few years.  (So this is my confession.)

Should we be afraid?  Yes and no.  Until I had it, I didn’t realize that it’s widely affected people.  It used to be the number one cancer for women in the US, and for Thailand, it’s either the number one or two next to pelvic cancer.  After people know that I had it, people stop to talk to me all the time, which is great.  I still get calls from patients who either read an article I wrote or got referred to by my friends, doctors, staffs, etc.  If you know of someone who can use some counseling on breast cancer, send her or him this way.  It can be the patients or relatives.  People usually feel better after talking to me.  The fact that I had a bad case (stage 2B with Her2 positive), and still around kicking normally gives them incentive to continue fighting. 

I advise women over 40 to take mammography test yearly for early detection.  Yes, we all should be aware, but we should not be afraid.  As I said, breast cancer is so common that research in this field is probably the most advanced among all cancers.  I usually joke with patients that if you have to have cancer, breast cancer is the best.  You get medicine for it and it happens on an organ that you can live without (vs brain, lung, pancreas, etc.).  Definitely, breast cancer can be cured- particularly with early detection.

As they say, there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.  This also applies for cancer treatment.  Those who can’t be cured can also live with it.  I tell people that my cancer is gone, but it can always come back.  If and when it does, I’ll go through the treatment again. 

One thing about having cancer is that it gives you perspective in life.  It’s hard for me to break my back on business any more (or maybe I’m just getting old?).  I enjoy my friends and loved ones more, and make time for them than I used to. 

You can say having cancer is a wake up call.  It’s better to have one than not- the wake-up call I mean.