It's day 15 in this Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the survivors spotlighted on this site are stacking up. Yet we've only just scratched the surface of breast cancer survivor stories. And by the end of October, we will have only featured a very small sample of survivors everywhere. There are countless others with their own powerful stories. It's sad there are so many stories shaped by breast cancer. It's empowering too -- because breast cancer survivors are a passionate bunch. They are passionate in their fights, passionate in their beliefs, passionate in their willingness to help others. A passionate bunch of survivors can be found here on The Cancer Blog. They are all women, of various ages, with various backgrounds, defined by different experiences. They are also quite the same -- for they have all been touched by breast cancer. And their words of wisdom are strikingly similar, despite the contrast in characteristics that define these women and their very individual battles with breast cancer.
Here are seven survivor similarities worth spotlighting.
- Most spotlighted survivors do not have a family history of breast cancer, a fact that spans research on the disease. About 75 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history predicting their diagnosis. Being female is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer.
- All survivors turned in some way to research and resources to help them along their paths to survival. The internet has served them well, although patients should search carefully for reputable sites -- like the one provided by the American Cancer Society -- for accurate information. Books, like Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, are also popular -- and so are personal blogs. Many survivors recommend talking to other survivors for information and comfort.
- The survivors are in agreement when they suggest that loved ones offer specific help following a new diagnosis. Stating, "I will bring you dinner every Monday" is preferred to, "Let me know how I can help."
- Each survivor who graces this site is someone brave enough to share her story, courageous enough to recount her breast cancer moments, selfless enough to relive her tender emotions. She does it so that others can learn, so others can benefit, so others can survive.
- While these survivors are willing to open their worlds to others, they share an ability to keep cancer in the shadows of their everyday lives. Cancer is always present, but they allow the gift of each day to shine brighter than the fear of a life-threatening disease.
- Each day is truly a gift for these women who all comment in some way about their fine-tuned appreciation for life and the people in it. They are able to let the little things go -- the laundry, the dishes, a messy house -- in exchange for the beauty of each moment.
- While the little things go by the wayside, these survivors are champs at conquering the big things. They feel they can tackle just about anything after their dances with breast cancer. They are amazed at the strength they never knew they possessed.
