Role Models and Broken Records

I was really surprised, and then really happy, to see that Christina Applegate is being so open about her response to her breast cancer. In case you've been on a desert island for the past few days--her mom struggled with breast cancer, surviving it twice, and Christina tested positive for the BRCA-1 gene. This puts her at high risk for getting breast cancer again in the future, so she opted for a double mastectomy, and then went on a morning talk show to tell the world about it.

As a starlet prized for her appearance, this has to be tough, but her attitude is great. And I just love the message it sends to all women who face the reduction or removal of breasts as a result of this disease: You don't have to be ashamed, you don't have to feel invalidated, and your life is far more important than your boobs. Oh, and along with those other women rushing out to buy fake ones anyway, remember you'll have perky ones in the nursing home.

It's no less traumatic to face a mastectomy, I'm sure, just because a celebrity has talked about hers. But it's just one more area of life in which we don't have to be silent, to hide in shame; we can speak out and own our experience, and know that we are still worthwhile and valuable even though something has been taken from us. Damn right!

Finally, I've said it before and I will keep hollering about it: We can cut our risk enormously by just watching what we eat and really exercising. Apparently most Americans already know this, and yet we're still not doing it. Watch a slightly fluffy treatment of the topic by CNN's Sanjay Gupta:

(It's looking like the embed might not be working; if not, here's the link.)



Now, I know it's hard. After losing 37 pounds post-treatment, I recently gained 6 of them back, and now I am having to watch my food strictly once more. (Exercise I have covered, with beach volleyball--go USA!!--at least 6 hours a week.) As I forego bread and use balsamic vinegar in place of salad dressing, I feel some pain. But a) eating healthfully is a lot more fun than going through chemo; and b) my life is too important not to do it!

Edited to add: I've already gotten rid of 3 of the 6, in just a few days. Yay.

Exercise, again

And again, the NY Times. Today, an article about the benefits of exercise for those undergoing treatment.

In the news

I have certainly been reticent lately. (That's reticent, not reluctant!) The blessing and the curse of being back to "normal life" is that I am mired in the quotidian tasks of work and errands. The good news is, we will be going on vacation in a couple of weeks, to Northern Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. I am very excited. It'll be a 3-week trip, hitting lots of lovely places (Alps, Venice, seaside Istrian resorts...). And our house and dog won't be lonely, since there will be visitors throughout our time away, enjoying the beach life in our absence.

But I'm here for business, so let me get to it. The other day, NPR had a very interesting story about a new study (published in JAMA if you want to go get the actual study; full paper here, subscription required; the NPR audio is here) regarding diagnostic technologies. Apparently mammography plus ultrasound found 28% more tumors in women with dense breast tissue (like me!) than did mammography alone. That's a rather whopping increase, I think. The procedure was recommended (by the authors) primarily for women at high risk, rather than those undergoing routine screening. As someone who's already had breast cancer, some sources say that I am at high risk, so I will be talking to my doctor before my next annual mammogram!

And a second important story. Now people--does anyone out there really still not get it that we need to exercise? That we really, really need to? That all the rationalizations and justifications in the world do not prevent breast cancer, but that moving our butts even a little bit will start to help, and moving them a lot will really help? (Plus all those other benefits, like fitting into jeans.)

Anyway, now I hope that everyone with a daughter starts to make it a priority to be sure that she does not sit on her own butt, become a couch potato, shun PE (as I did!!), or otherwise grow up without learning that physical activity is a really fantastic part of life. If you can't do this for her enjoyment, then do it for her life. Another new study published this week found that adult breast cancer risk was substantially cut for women who had exercised as girls and teenagers. That's right--it's not enough to turn women loose to discover exercise once they're grown. We need to start them early, so that the next generation can have a better shot at avoiding induction into the Breast Cancer Club.

I hope all my friends, family, and kind readers will take this to heart for the young women-to-be whom they love!