Friend2Friend: A year of breast cancer awareness
11:27 p.m. Thursday, September 4, 2008
For a year KTKA has been bringing you stories of breast cancer survival.
We've joined with Lawrence Memorial to make an impact on your life that can save your life.
And tonight we take a look back at some of the lives we've touched.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Research, new medications and treatments help with survival. One of the best defenses is right at your fingertips. Coleen Voeks has a friend who was just diagnosed, and it changed her outlook.
Friend2Friend Breast Cancer Awareness
49 News has partnered with Lawrence Memorial Hospital to encourage you to adopt measures that lead to early detection. One in eight women is affected with breast cancer. Get more statistics and learn how you can protect yourself at 49abcnews.com/friend2friend. There you can also sign up to be reminded when it's time to do self breast exams and get breast cancer stories emailed to your inbox. Check it out.
"I'll admit I did my first self breast exam in the shower."
This is the message we try to promote in our Friend2Friend series, and it's one that's worked for many survivors.
Carolyn Berry did her exams. "Being vigilant probably saved my life or made my treatment better."
Others found hope in new treatments after finding the cancer months after it started.
"I'd like to say I was one of those women who do their self exams, but I wasn't," Sandy Herd said.
And sometimes even early detection didn't mean the path to recovery would be easy.
Becky Duncan says she cried when she found out she'd lose her hair.
Sarah Watts echoes the hardship breast cancer patients must endure.
"I didn't want to lose my breast. I cried a lot over that. I had to mourn it like any other loss that you have," she said.
Another common thread: Friends and family who support the survivors like Darci Barrett
Justin Barrett is her son. "I do laundry clean the house more be home more not go out as much."
And with each Friend2Friend survivor comes hope.
Lynda Davis says "you come out of this a changed person. You let things go there's so much that doesn't matter."
And they all learn to focus on what does matter like these friends who shaved their heads in solidarity. But the most important support is understanding the message, one that this student of survivor Becky Duncan definitely learned.
Chandler McGinnis says, "it showed us it can happen to anyone. Just watch out. Check yourself."
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