October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

A LETTER FROM CINDY

“You have cancer”

“You must have the wrong person. I don’t have time for this right now”, I said as I was rushing out of my office on the way to an inspection. The nurse on the phone was gentle but stern. “I do have the right person, Cynthia, and you will make time for this call right now. I am calling to tell you that you have invasive ductal carcinoma in your right breast and the doctor needs you to come in tomorrow.”

Holy shit.

A second opinion two weeks later confirmed the original diagnosis: stage one HER-2 positive breast cancer. How could this be? I was 43 years old, perfect health and never felt better. No history of breast cancer in my family, non-smoker, non-drinker, regular exerciser, and the mammogram I had just three months prior was flawless.

My world instantly changed and nothing mattered but surviving for my family. I focused on the facts without letting fear take over. “Facts, not fear“ was my motto. I learned quickly that kale smoothies would not be enough to cure this, so I vowed to be a good patient and followed my doctors orders to a T. A lumpectomy, months of aggressive chemotherapy and 36 rounds of radiation took its tool, but it worked. At the worst point in the whole treatment ordeal, I was down to 97 pounds, totally bald and had lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes.

Chemo had also plunged me into menopause overnight. This was a minor little detail that my doctors never really adequately prepared me for. Not only was I experiencing all the negative side effects of chemo, but I was simultaneously thrown into full blown menopause. Looking back now, frankly that was the least of my concerns, but I can’t help to think that menopause only made the whole process even more difficult. I would never have been able to make it through that time without the love and support of my team, my friends and my family, specifically my sons, my mother and my husband.

The reality is that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Many of you know that I am quite private and have never been one to wave my pink flag or let that chapter of my life identify me. Eleven years later however, I remain cancer free, but still get tears in my eyes talking about it. There is not a day that goes by that I’m not reminded of the lessons learned, the gifts received and the perspective gained.

Ladies, let this serve as my public service announcement at the end of this breast cancer awareness month (it has taken all month to bring myself to actually write this): Get your routine mammograms, and if you feel that something isn’t quite right, do not ignore it. I was lucky. I noticed a small little bump the size of a pea and went to have it checked out. The sooner it is detected, the easier it is to treat, so please pay attention to your bodies and remind those you love to do the same.

I hope that I can offer some comfort to any of you who are experiencing a cancer diagnosis, or love someone who is fighting for their life right now.