Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in women. Though it can attack both sexes, it is much more common in women, and while it is calculated that 1 in every 1000 men may have breast cancer, 1 out of every 8 women is projected to develop one form of invasive breast cancer in her lifetime.
A STORY OF COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND FAITH FOR WOMEN
FIGHTING BREAST CANCER
Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in women. Though it can attack both sexes, it is much more common in women, and while it is calculated that 1 in every 1000 men may have breast cancer, 1 out of every 8 women is projected to develop one form of invasive breast cancer in her lifetime.
While this paints a horror picture for women, recent years have seen an increase in the survival rates of breast cancer patients. A widespread and substantial support, awareness and research have seen the death rate of breast cancer decrease at a steady pace while new forms of treatment and more personalised forms of treatment are making it easier to handle the disease. Early detection also plays a huge role and goes a long way in making treatment more effective and successful.
Without wishing the fear and worry that breast cancer ushers into people’ s lives, the statistics of 1 out of every 8 women developing the ail, and that 85 % of women with breast cancer have no prior family history of the disease, makes it necessary to address healthy women, and more than anything, create an awareness and an assurance that breast cancer, while it may be a very real danger, is no longer the great unknown and life ending disease it was a couple of years ago.
THE STORIES
It should come as no surprise that as the death rate of breast cancer decreases, so too have the survivor stories increased. These inspirational stories by courageous, strong and beautiful women, show how much control we, you, can wield over the situations of life.
All the stories share similar final messages, and one, in particular, stands out; The fight and victory over breast cancerstart with you.
Beth Carlock, now 36, remembers the dreaded day of December 15, 2015, when her identical twin Sarah was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, breast cancer that affects the milk ducts. Recounting the whole process from discovery, to fight, and victory, Beth recalls the strength of her sister, during radiation, chemotherapy, losing her job, then a double mastectomy, and finally reconstruction surgeries on her breasts. Being twins, and sharing identical DNA meant that Beth was also in very great risk, and feeding off her sister’ s strength and courage, she decided to undergo a hysterectomy, to reduce her hormone production, and the risk of breast cancer. Sarah is now cancer-free and moving on with life.
32