October 19, 2023

? In this month of October, we share a personal story of why self-advocacy matters in the fight against breast cancer.

? October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The disease, which comes in many different types, has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with around 2.3 million people diagnosed globally each year. In the US, the disease accounts for 1 in 3 new female cancers annually, and almost 300,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year; an estimated 2,800 men in the US will be diagnosed. Black women are more likely to develop breast cancer before the age of 40 compared to White women and have a 40% higher death rate from the disease. And although the median age of diagnosis is 63, more women continue to be diagnosed with the disease under 45.

?? Thanks to greater awareness of the disease, early detection, and advancements in treatment options, the number of women who have died from breast cancer has decreased significantly since 2020. But, more than 3.8 million women in the US live with or beyond breast cancer.

As a team member of The Keynote Curators, I am proud to call myself one of those 3.8 million warriors.

I’m grateful to have made it through a more than one-year-long healing journey with the help of exceptional radiologists, surgeons, doctors, and nurses. The experience has changed my life. One day, life was good. The next day, it was upside down. My breast cancer diagnosis taught me to be more present in the moment and thankful for each day, knowing that life is a fragile gift not to be taken for granted.

I started my journey in August 2022 while living in Italy and was treated in the US. I was blessed to meet another woman diagnosed with breast cancer the same month, whose husband was also stationed in Italy. As if the Universe drew us together for strength and support, I discovered she grew up in the town next to mine in Massachusetts. We quickly became friends and embarked on our journeys together. Sorrowfully, breast cancer stole her from this world just 11 months later. She was 33, a devoted wife, a loving mother of two young children, a beautiful soul, and a warrior.

? No one will advocate for your health better than you. Being self-aware of even the most subtle changes to your body can be life-saving. There is no cancer on either side of my family. I don’t carry the inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. I eat well, exercise daily, am fit, don’t smoke, and enjoy the occasional drink. Trust your intuition and see your doctor if something looks or feels off. Second opinions are worthwhile; I believe mine prevented another future diagnosis. Be an advocate for yourself and stay on task with annual screenings and health visits. Being healthy isn’t enough.

? The Keynote Curators supports the fighters, admires the survivors, honors the taken, and never gives up hope for a cure like millions of others.