Breast cancer awareness is about more than just the disease

By Debbie Kerr

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and most people have some kind of awareness about the disease itself, but there is so much more to learn. While there is always more information to learn about the disease, there is also so much to learn about the many impacts of the disease. The following list includes links to some of my previous blog posts to illustrate a few areas that breast cancer impacts. 

The physical impacts
So much to learn about…Breast Cancer - With my own personal experience with breast cancer, I have learned a lot, but I continue to learn so much more about breast cancer (for example, signs of breast cancer, the impacts of having dense breasts, and why starting breast screening at age 50 is not soon enough). Know Your Lemons and Dense Breasts Canada are organizations that have educated me to the point where I now share that information and help advocate for change. 

You don’t look sick - You can look good and still be sick; in fact, my friend always looked good (better than me), yet she was sick enough to die from her breast cancer, but not too sick to laugh until we cried.  

The emotional impact
Before I had cancer - Having breast cancer is life changing both physically and emotionally. It’s a time of forced learning a lot of medical terms and a time for learning about yourself.

The impact of laughter/humour
What a boob! – It’s not every day (at least I hope not) that your prosthetic breast begins to leak. On the bright side, it means you have yet another unique story and a unique reason to go shopping. 

The impact to family and friends
The mysteries of cancer, what to say and do – Cancer impacts patients, but it also impacts family and friends. Some people will avoid the person with cancer because they don’t know what to do, while others will just say or do the wrong thing. Here are some tips that might make everyone feel a little more comfortable.