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CHAPTERS
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
Chapter Eleven
From Tight Bras to Antiperspirants:
Replacing Breast Cancer Fears With Facts
My aunt keeps her money and change in her bra. Once, one of the coins was stuck to her boob when she was in the shower. She felt it then flipped out because she thought she had cancer.
Erin, 13
It seems like no-one really knows what causes breast cancer. It seems like you are at greater risk if it runs in your family. But nowadays people are more aware of it, you can have a mammogram and catch it early.
Kate, 18
I think my grandmother had breast cancer, but no one told me. All of a sudden everyone started giving her pink stuff and she started doing pink ribbon walks. I felt left out and hurt.
Brittany, 19
I was worried about my mom because she had to have an unusual lump in her breast checked out, although it turned out to be a benign cyst. But, I am still a little worried about her because she has had a few more doctors’ appointments since then, that I think are related, but she hasn't told me about them.
Georgia, 13
My younger sister is always worried about everything and she was complaining that her breast hurt and she thought she had breast cancer. And she made my mom take her to the doctor and we all knew she didn’t have cancer, but she insisted on going only to find out that her breasts were just developing.
Jennifer, 16
My mother came home from a check-up once and told me to be prepared in case anything were to come back showing cancer. Luckily, she didn’t have breast cancer but it was one of the scariest experiences of my life.
Hailey, 17
I felt a painful lump in one breast, not the other which made me more worried since it was on the same side as my mom’s breast cancer – and I know that breast cancer is usually on one side. My breast had never hurt before, so I didn’t know what to think. I mean, I knew this was the age where they start to grow, but I wasn’t really thinking about that. I told my mom, “I have a problem” (I didn’t want to say it was breast cancer) because then she’d be, like, ‘Oh, Sara, that’s impossible.’ Then she said ‘Maybe you hit it.’ She just thought I bumped into something.
Sara, 10
I heard about breast cancer at school and it really scared me. I cried in my bed that night worried that becoming a full woman meant that breast cancer could affect me. My Aunt heard me and came in to my room, hugged and talked to me – for a really long time. She explained that breast cancer usually happens to older women and most of the time it’s very treatable. But for some reason at school, I didn’t get that. When I heard “breast cancer,” all I could think of was death.
Melanie, 15
When I first found out about breast cancer I didn't think it was a big idea, until recently. The breast cancer organization thing is all over the place and it shows me that this is no easy obstacle to overcome. I know a lot of people with breast cancer and now I am worried I will soon get it.
Meredith, 14
My grandmother had breast cancer when she was pregnant with my mother. It was a difficult time because of the medicine she was on and there was the question of whether her baby would be delivered healthy. She had one of her breasts removed. She is now 89 and is a 48 year survivor and is healthier then ever (and my mom is fine).
Annie, 16
I'm always thinking about it because it's always on TV.
Laura, 10
I was worried about my mom because she had to have an unusual lump in her breast checked out, but it turned out to be a benign cyst. I am still a little worried about her because she has a few more doctors appointments to go to that I think are related, but she hasn't told me anything about what’s going on.
Sophie, 17
I tried to check my breasts but I got scared because it was a little lumpy. I thought I had breast cancer. But I wouldn’t know what normal feels like since I've never compared a cancerous boob to a non-cancerous one.
Trish, 12
I remember hearing if you wear a bra to bed, it can contribute to breast cancer. I have also heard that using too much deodorant can also contribute to breast cancer.
Lindsey, 11
