When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I spent hours surfing the internet filled with so much anxiety of the unknown. I wanted to find a website that made me feel less isolated and would connect me with others that have gone through this difficult journey. I not only found other survivors and fighters, but incredible, beautiful souls from all over the world who have been as comforting as a warm blanket, wrapping their arms around me with their love and inspiration.
This is a page for you, written with love and compassion form my dear friends/survivors Sammie and Patti. They have taken inspirational quotes and wrote meaningful and authentic content, taking us along on their journeys as they try and navigate the cancer world. I hope they give you a sense of comfort as you process everything. We are here for you, we have been there. Let us wrap our arms around you and fall into a warm hug from us to you.
I’m a pretty positive person. I try to find humor in every situation and I think I have an inner resilience that has served me well. Even when I was a little girl, I was always smiling and happy even though I was not the “picture of health.” I suffered terribly from the croup, had several bouts of pneumonia, ear problems…blah, blah, blah. I was also, EXTREMELY accident-prone. I was the kid who would walk off the top step into mid-air and fall down two flights to the basement floor. I’d walk into the corners of tables, miss the doorway and hit the wall and of course, I was the kid who put her tongue on the frozen railing to see if it actually would stick! I was soooooo bad, that my grandmother sat my Mom down and said “Don’t get too attached to her Marlene, I don’t think she’ll live to see her third birthday!”
That was my first reaction when I was told I had breast cancer. Hearing a doctor say that I not only had cancer, but I would have to undergo a mastectomy was shocking. I instantly felt numb.
As soon as I got home I started researching as much as I could about breast cancer. Most of the information I found was all very clinical. Nothing talked about what a woman really goes through both physically and emotionally. I decided I needed to share my journey with an honest, raw and sometimes humorous blog that told the real story of what it’s like to battle breast cancer. I have been blogging about my journey from the day I was diagnosed and continue to write and connect with women all over the world. Through my journey I met Cynthia and Learn Look Locate and knew that I had found a kindred spirit. I am honoured to continue to share my journey with all of you. By sharing we support each other. Sharing really is caring.
Every morning since my breast cancer diagnosis, I have been waking up with the question “why”? Why was I diagnosed with breast cancer a week before my wedding at the early age of 32? Why didn’t I know I carried the BRCA1 mutation? Why did my cancer metastasis to my lungs so quickly? Why did I feel an immediate connection with Learn Look Locate?
I immediately had the answers to these questions once I started writing blogs for LLL. I am very passionate about early detection, and breast health education because I do not want anyone to end up a statistic like me. With thousands of breast cancer organizations and charities competing for donations, it can be difficult to know which ones will make the greatest impact. Learn Look Locate stands out above the rest, because of its focus on hope, positivity and authenticity. When I came across LLL’s organization, it felt like a warm hug, embracing me with love and inspiration. Studies have linked positive thinking with longevity. All of the pain and suffering I have endured will all be worth it if I can save just one life. The more women and men we reach globally, the better chances we have of one day eradicating this horrific disease. Knowledge is power. Get educated, get connected, get inspired.
LET’S STAY IN TOUCH
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