Hello Beauties! October as we know is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and on this 38th episode of Queen Beauty Podcast we had the pleasure of speaking to a dear friend and Breast Cancer Survivor about the beginnings of her journey. She spoke on the importance of early detection, advocating for herself and things she did and currently does to help cope during her experience. It was our absolute pleasure to hear her story and we hope that it encourages at least one person to get their mammogram done. We also would like to send all of our love and prayers to the rest of our family and friends from near and far who have ever lost someone, are currently fighting their battle, or have been impacted by cancer in any form.
Check Ups & Check Ins- EARLY
According to the American Cancer Society, early detection during the localized stage has a 5-year relative survival rate of 99%. Early detection includes monthly self-exams and regularly scheduled breast exams and mammograms. If you notice something It’s also recommended to get detected if you are at higher risk ie it’s detected in your family. You can do this by getting a mammogram annually between 25-40 depending on if it was a first relative and youngest age of breast cancer detected in the family.
Advocating for Yourself
A point that was consistent is advocating for yourself. If you feel something, say something to your dr and do not wait until your annual appointment. Remember to not to doubt yourself and excuse it as not walking in fear. The bigger fear is not detecting it early when it can be helped early on with more options.
Self-Care During Tough Times
Of course this is a self-care podcast so we had to get into things that can be done on this type of journey. Tapping into nature, spirituality, a licensed counselor, building a village of support groups, finding things to do to take your mind off of things like TikTok believe it or not were just a few of the things we discussed.
REAL LIVE RESOURCES
If you need support or know someone who does please go online to The National Breast Cancer Foundation which has a wealth of resources including virtual support groups. You can also find resources through the African American Breast Cancer Alliance. Don’t forget the newest way to find support groups via FaceBook which was a highly recommended place to search for regular people like us sharing their stories about surviving and or supporting loved ones. One Group is Touch: The Black Breast Cancer Alliance.
