If You're A Breast Cancer Survivor, Tell Us Something You Wish More People Knew About It
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as a survivor myself, I sometimes feel a little too aware, if you know what I mean. From diagnosis to active treatment to figuring out an alleged "new normal" in survivorship, it's rare that I go a day without the dreaded C-word running through my mind.
Still, it's so important for survivors to share our stories. By being visible and talking about the realities of breast cancer, we can help others understand their risks, advocate for preventive care, and provide support for newly diagnosed patients who may be very, very freaked out (I know I was!). So, if you're a breast cancer survivor, we want to hear from you about things you wish more people knew about the pink ribbon disease.
Maybe there's something you wish more people understood about their risk factors for breast cancer. So many people are shocked that you were diagnosed without family history or a gene like BRCA, but in fact, the vast majority of people diagnosed with breast cancer have no genetic mutations or family history of the disease.
Or perhaps you want more people to know that breast cancer doesn't always present as a lump in a woman's breast. It might show up as a rash, a sunken nipple, or a change in the shape of your breast. Oh, and though it's less common, men can get it, too.
Or maybe there is something you wish people would stop saying to you about your cancer. You didn't cause it by eating sugar, having negative thoughts, or getting a vaccine (if that was true, your oncologist would ~definitely~ have mentioned it). And no, breast reconstruction is nothing at all like a "free boob job," so please knock it off with that one!
If you're a breast cancer survivor, share something you wish more people understood in the comments below or via this anonymous form, and you could be featured in a BuzzFeed Community post.
