Breast Cancer Awareness

Date Published: 10/18/2016

Considering October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I think that it is the perfect time to talk about breast cancer and the effect that it has had on me and my family.



 



A cure for breast cancer is something I've been wishing for since I was a little girl. I remember going to "Susan G. Komen For The Cure" 5k runs with my family, friends, and classmates, starting at the age of 11. I was inspired by the breast cancer survivors I met that day. I look back on running these 5k's with my family and friends, and I smile.



 



Every year, a family member or close family-friend of mine gets diagnosed with breast cancer. The closest person I know that has been diagnosed was my aunt. When I found out that my aunt had breast cancer, I was scared. I was terrified of losing her, and it made me so sad that something so scary could happen to someone so close to my family and I.



 



Luckily, my aunt has survived breast cancer. I asked her about her experience with the illness, and how it has changed her since being diagnosed.



 



My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 at the age of 42. Getting the news that she had breast cancer was the scariest thing in the world to her. Because of breast cancer she had many sleepless, painful, and scary nights. It was a journey like no other. She told me that she was very lucky that the doctors caught it early so that she didn't have to do chemotherapy.



 



Instead, she only had to do eight weeks of radiation. The main question on my mind when I asked her about her experience with breast cancer was, "How did you get through it?" She then told me that she got through it with the support of amazing family and great friends.



 



However, her true inspiration throughout her journey was her children. She has two children, and she told me how she had to survive for them. Her children are the most important thing to her, as I'm sure is the same with every mother.



 



In June of this year was the three year anniversary of my aunt being cancer free.

She looks at life differently now. She lives life to the fullest and does not take anything for granted, especially the little things in life now. Having breast cancer makes you become and better and stronger person inside.



 



I am thankful to have my aunt to talk about breast cancer with. She is now doing amazing, and has a big smile on her face whenever I see her.



 



One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. And, according to statistics, every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and one woman will die from it every 13 minutes. As a 17 year old girl, knowing these statistics is terrifying. Breast cancer is a global burden among us all.



 



That is why my wish is to find a cure for breast cancer.

My one wish, since I was a little girl, has been to find a cure for breast cancer, or all cancers for that matter. Although breast cancer is a horrible illness that affects many women, and even some men, every year, it makes women stronger.



 



I hope that one day, the cure for breast cancer can be found.

My wish is to find a cure for the women who have suffered through breast cancer, and to eventually be able to prevent it once and for all!



 

Kailey Gaffney

Leader-Girl Talk Marlton for The Wishwall Fp\oundation

Breast Cancer Awareness