The truth about breast cancer is that it happens. No one knows the cause or the cure. The only known causes of breast cancer are too many birthdays and being a woman. Every woman is shocked when she hears that diagnosis. I know I was. I couldn’t understand how I could have a fast growing life threatening disease when I felt great. Not until I started my treatments did I feel sick.
Last week the NY Times ran a story with a teaser headline under the picture of an obvious cancer patient, “Non-smoking, vegetarian who exercised was shocked when told she had Breast Cancer”. This is a tough story for this woman because after treatments her cancer returned. For those of us familiar with breast cancer, that is what it does, it comes back. There is no cure for breast cancer.
If eating blueberries, flax seed, walnuts, broccoli and such, and daily exercise was really the preventive cure we would see a drop in breast cancer statistics. This is not the case. Cancer is not one disease. Breast cancer may not respond the same way as treatments for another cancer, and varies from individuals.
Researchers are always looking for funding from foundations and companies to find a cure. In 1971 Richard Nixon vowed that the United States would find a cure for cancer. 38 years later the Obama administration is vowing to look for cures. I am forever the optimist and would like to see a cure for breast cancer in my lifetime. This administration seems to understand the complexity of cancer and hopefully will make head way for cures or causes.
Early detection is great. Healthy life styles are wonderful. The truth however is there is nothing to insure you against breast cancer. Like life, no guarantees, warranties or do-overs.
Metastasis breast cancer, no longer a hasty death notice, is cancer that has spread to other parts of the body that can be treated as a chronic condition. Treatments are on going, meaning for the rest of the woman’s life. This is the status of the woman in the NY Times story. I wish her well.