Cyprus Finest (issue 2, Spring 2018) #8 Cyprus Finest (issue 2, Spring 2018) | Page 33

A STORY OF COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND FAITH FOR WOMEN
Bernan Shaw was also just 33 in 2007 when she
discovered tumours in her breasts. Opting instead for
radiation, all seemed finished, until two years on, when
she was again diagnosed with now stage four breast
cancer, with a few months to live, and all this just two
weeks before her wedding. Shaw refused to let cancer
or the diagnosis define her life, and she set out to face
her challenge head-on. Its been almost 10 years today
since the doctors gave her just nine months to live,
she is now cancer-free, and based her survival to three
pillars; prayer, positive affirmation, and adopting and
maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate and is no
respecter of persons, yet the response to it is the same,
courage and strength, even for the stars. mentally, psychologically, from the inside, because that
is where the fight starts, and that is the first and most
important step towards victory over breast cancer.
As mentioned before, the reason for these stories
and the decline of breast cancer fatality is due to the
advance in research, prevention, treatment methods,
and the worldwide awareness campaign for breast
cancer.
Harry Potter actress, Dame Maggie Smith,
83, who played Professor Minerva McGonagall, was
diagnosed with breast cancer but continued shooting
the film all through the ordeal and chemotherapy. While
we can never tell by watching HARRY POTTER AND
THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, the actress was bald and
had to wear a wig throughout. Mammography, MRI scans, CT and PET-CT scans
should be done as regularly as possible, to ensure that
you always have recent and up-to-date feedback about
your health, especially for women who are yet to give
birth, and women with mutations in their BRCA genes.
Actress Angelina Jolie decided to undergo
a double mastectomy, at the age of 37, when she
discovered that she had a high chance of developing
breast cancer.
These are only a few stories, but they are evident
that breast cancer cuts across every social sphere and
circle, and has the same terrifying effects, but all the
survivors have determination, strength, courage, and
resilience in common, they didn’t let cancer defeat them
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
Normal and the little everyday things such as
watching your weight, limiting consumption of alcohol,
exercising regularly, not smoking, will go a long way to
reducing a person’s risk of developing breast cancer.
BRCA 1 and BRCA 2
are genes that produce
tumor-suppressing
proteins in the human
body. A mutation or
anomaly in these genes
most likely means the
person is most likely
going to develop cancer.
Nowadays, tests can
be carried out to know
if these genes are
mutated or not, so asto
determine the amount
of risk an individual is
exposed to, and it can
also help know whether
it is a genetic issue, that
is passed on, so you
can take precautions for
your children, or be rest
assured they are safe.
The fear of cancer is one of the biggest things that
destroys the human immune system and resistance
when they are initially diagnosed. There will be a
moment of pain, fear, and doubt, but it should be
followed by resolve and a determined attitude because
breast cancer is no longer the fatal disease it once was.
After diagnosis, the individual can decide to take an
Oncology DNA test. This relatively new development
does an analysis of an individual’s genetic composition
and the results help doctors to know what treatment will
be best for you and your system.
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