Since I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer…. I have had several wedding industry friends and personal friends come to me who’ve had concerns with their breasts… I think it’s especially scary for these women because they’ve seen first hand how breast cancer has affected my life… as a photographer and personally… In this time, I’ve also learned of people directly linked with me who actually have been diagnosed with breast cancer…

It’s scary. It’s so incredibly scary.  Cancer, just the word is scary…. If out of all that I’m going through…. I feel like at the very least it’s creating an awareness….and these ladies who’ve been directly linked to me… at the very least, they are paying attention… Most breast conditions do not result in breast cancer. Thankfully…. as I’ve since found out…. Someday, I will share the photos of my cancer and how it appeared…. but it’s very graphic so I do not want to offend anyone. My left breast had very physical characteristics… that presented… Someday, however… I do feel it’s important for people to see what it is that my breast did…

Early diagnosis is key… unfortunately in my situation it was not my fault that it was not early diagnosed…. but, the sooner you find the lump…. or the issue, the better… it can mean avoiding chemotherapy, it can mean avoiding a total mastectomy, it can mean avoiding radiation…. Unfortunately for me… in a very short time, my cancer progressed…. and I will have to undergo all of these things…

I guess my point in all of this…. is awareness is HUGE… Breast cancer was not something I worried about, I was young, I had no family history….. at the very, very least…. out of my situation…. women are paying attention. To me… that makes it all feel worthwhile…. and best yet… they come to me with their worry and concerns… and I worry with them…. until they get the all clear…. I love that I can be that support to them…  I love being that kind of friend.

And then I have friends and people I’ve come to know who are living with Stage 4 cancer… and it’s so incredibly scary for them, knowing and watching people they know die from this disease…. I fully believe in the mind/body connection…. and what we need to remember is not everyone dies from breast cancer…. There are those people who are willing to do whatever it takes to change their lifestyle…. and it does work. Not everyone is willing… maybe they feel they want to live out their last days and enjoy their lives without worrying about what they are taking in…. but there is most definitely a connection between eating well, exercising and fighting this disease… I found an article that I’d love to share…. not everyone takes the traditional medicine route either… some people have no choice…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSjQYQt-PRw I found it very powerful….and it’s worth 6 minutes… This particular lady did not have insurance and her cancer went away on it’s own… Personally, going completely natural scares me as well, but I do believe in doing it all….

I have a friend I’d love to reach out to via my blog today… Pamela… Pamela is living with Stage 4 cancer and has been a breast cancer survivor for 8 years… she’s fought this disease hard… with many rounds of chemo and is currently living with metastatic breast cancer in her liver… I met her through my daughter’s family and she has been a true inspiration to me… These days, she’s been quiet and I thought she may be be struggling…. Recently, she lost a friend to this disease and it’s hit her hard… She’s searching for answers and trying to find the strength inside of her to continue her fight…. Pamela…. I believe in you. I have been encouraged and inspired by you…. I know it’s a hard fight…. but I want you to be my fellow survivor… and I want to walk in the breast cancer walkathons with you and I want to tell all my friends about how you’ve overcome your stage 4 cancer…. Believe… pray…. and hope….