by Cesse Ip

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as a recent breast cancer survivor and Petworth neighbor, I thought now would be a good time to tell my story and raise awareness of this all too common disease.

I was diagnosed with Stage III intraductal carcinoma in March 2019 while 34 years old, and breastfeeding my 2.5 month old. I noticed a hard spot on my breast while 34 weeks pregnant, but my doctors initially dismissed it as early lactation. A lump in my armpit got bigger and bigger, and was dismissed as related to lactation. Finally, after dealing with discomfort and pain for 2 and a half months after my son was born, I demanded some more answers than “just wait and it will subside.”

I ended up having 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a single mastectomy, 28 rounds of radiation therapy, 19 immunotherapy infusions, and still have a reconstruction surgery and a year of oral chemotherapy ahead.

While there has been no evidence of disease for a year now, and I hope to live a long life and watch my two young sons grow up, my future remains scary to me because of my breast cancer diagnosis. If I had known earlier that my lumps could possibly be breast cancer, I could have fought earlier to have it checked out, and not let it progress to Stage III.

Widespread awareness of the prevalence and preventative measures for breast cancer can help with earlier diagnoses and save lives. While I know that all of us have had our fill of bad news in 2020, here are some sobering statistics about breast cancer: According to the American Cancer Institute, the average risk of a woman in the US developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 13%. In other words, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her life.

Over 60,000 women over the age of 20 live in DC’s Ward 4, according to the 2010-2014 American Community Survey. Some quick math means that an estimated that 7,800 of us will be diagnosed with breast cancer in our lives.

And now for some good news. While breast cancer is a very common diagnosis among women, the chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is only 2.6%. In women older than 50, the death rate decreased by 1.3% per year, likely because of earlier diagnosis from screening and increased awareness.

You can take an active part of preventing breast cancer by getting regular mammograms after you turn 40, and performing self-exams before you hit 40. (Read how to give yourself a self-exam from the Mayo Clinic.) Many breast changes found during self-exam may be benign and are quite common. This past month I’ve had three friends find lumps in their breasts, only to have it confirmed that it is not cancer.

It’s always worth checking, and making sure your concerns are heard.

If you or one of your loved ones is diagnosed with breast cancer, firstly, I’m sorry. Second, there are many resources to take advantage of in DC. The Smith Center for Healing and the Arts is nearby on U Street and hosts multiple cancer groups such as young adult support groups, adult caregiver support groups, and retreats. George Washington Hospital has an Integrative Medicine program and offers cancer patient-minded services with nutritional counseling, acupuncture and more. Each hospital where you would receive treatment almost certainly offers a support program for their patients. Lastly… feel free to reach out to me.

Thanks for reading everyone! Stay aware and spread the word!