| I was in my twenties when I began to take | | | | proper insurance coverage, fertility issues, |
| notice of all the breast cancer stuff that seemed | | | | co-payments, high prescription costs, lack of |
| to be everywhere at certain times of the year, | | | | fertility, physiological, mental and emotional issues |
| and it was around this time that I began to be | | | | and the inability to properly care for her family or |
| more conscious of the issue of breast cancer - of | | | | pursue her goals and dreams because she has |
| all the pink stuff and knowing that it was | | | | been struck by a silent enemy while she is in her |
| important to worry about it when you turned 40. | | | | prime? |
| Every time I heard of breast cancer, it was within | | | | Also, I wonder, don't these young women have |
| the context of women getting it at age 40 and | | | | the right to life? That means that they need to |
| over, so did not think I had anything to worry | | | | be given the proper tools to make proper |
| about. | | | | decisions about their health. That means that |
| I had been doing my breast exams since I was | | | | although it is a small population, these young |
| thirteen; my mother taught me to do them at a | | | | women are not just numbers, they are individuals |
| young age, but still it never dawned on me that I | | | | whose lives matter, as much as those in the |
| could actually GET breast cancer, until it happened | | | | majority. |
| to me. When my mother had taught me to do | | | | The thing is, these young women can and do |
| my exams, she had explained that even though I | | | | survive if they are aware and find their lumps in |
| barely had breasts, it was important that I know | | | | time. At the very least, if a young woman never |
| what they felt like, so as they grew and changed, | | | | got a breast lump or other symptom, she could |
| I would know if anything abnormal appeared. | | | | be an advocate amongst her peers, friends, |
| Thanks to her education and diligence, 18 years | | | | family and in the community. |
| later, when I found the lump, while in the shower, | | | | The EARLY Act, introduced by Rep. Wasserman |
| I knew immediately that something was wrong | | | | Schultz, would support this type of awareness |
| and that I needed to get checked. | | | | and education. The bill has more than 360 |
| After finding the lump and visiting with a surgeon, | | | | cosponsors in the House and more than 36 in the |
| even though the lump would not aspirate, the | | | | Senate. It would fund a national education |
| breast surgeon had it in her mind, that since I did | | | | campaign on breast cancer and young women. |
| not fit a statistic, I was to young to get breast | | | | The educational campaign would reach out to |
| cancer, so I should forget about it and go home - | | | | young adult women and also to physicians. It |
| if it bothered me to come back in six months, but | | | | would not only educate young women and the |
| not to worry. "You're too young". I did wait six | | | | communities in which they live, the bill would also |
| months and the lump doubled. After pushing for a | | | | help young women who have breast cancer get |
| biopsy, she did one and then called to tell me that | | | | social and psychological support. The EARLY Act |
| it was cancer after all. The lump was Stage II - | | | | will encourage young women to 1) learn the facts; |
| what if I had waited six more months? | | | | 2) know their bodies; 3) speak up for their health; |
| The sad truth about this story is that it is not | | | | and 4) embrace support. The draft bill calls for |
| unique. As I lay in my bed, bald, sick from chemo | | | | expenditures of $9 million per year from 2010 to |
| and wondering where life would lead me, I learned | | | | 2014. Similar to other early detection and |
| that approximately 11,000 American women | | | | screening programs, it is simply an educational |
| younger than 40 are diagnosed with breast | | | | tool, and a powerful one, as it could change the |
| cancer annually. Of those approximately 1,100 die | | | | lives of many young women nationally and maybe |
| because they were told "You're too young" or | | | | on a global scale. |
| "Come back in six months". I also learned that | | | | It's true that only a small percentage of young |
| younger women have more aggressive breast | | | | women get breast cancer. However, we tend to |
| cancers and higher mortality rates. | | | | have higher mortality rates. Our futures grind to a |
| Over the past three years, I have had an | | | | halt: Our careers are put on hold, the disease may |
| opportunity to meet and come to love many of | | | | affect our ability to bear children, and we have to |
| these young women - some still living and some | | | | deal with problems such as under-insurance, along |
| who have lost their lives needlessly to a | | | | with challenges to our long-term health that arise |
| preventable death from a disease that they did | | | | from more aggressive treatments. |
| not know could take their lives. | | | | Does it hurt young women to inform them about |
| I thought to myself so many times, what if I had | | | | breast cancer? What would be more harmful - |
| not been taught to do my breast examinations at | | | | arming them with education, awareness and |
| an early age? What if I had not pushed the | | | | lifesaving tools life, or leaving ignorant of a disease |
| doctor for further diagnostics? What if I had not | | | | that could rob them of their future? Without |
| been educated and been my own advocate? | | | | awareness, how would younger women know |
| Where would I be today? My being alive today, | | | | what to look for? Without awareness how could |
| similar to the 10,000 or so women who survive | | | | we push our doctors to take us more seriously |
| breast cancer, are a result of awareness and | | | | when we go to them with a lump or, in some |
| early detection. When discovered in time, survival | | | | cases, with excruciating pain. |
| rates are higher. Knowledge and education are | | | | My 6-year-old daughter told someone the other |
| key. | | | | day, "My mommy and I are breast cancer |
| In 2006, when Representative Debbie Wasserman | | | | survivors". My eyes filled with tears. It's been |
| Schultz introduced The Breast Cancer Education | | | | nearly three years and she is just now beginning |
| and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act | | | | to vocalize how she feels and what she went |
| (The EARLY Act) - H.R. 1740, S. 994, I was | | | | through. We need the new programs of the |
| honored, as a young survivor of breast cancer, | | | | EARLY Act to address the psychological and |
| and representative of Tigerlily Foundation, to | | | | social needs that younger women and younger |
| stand by her side, along with Senator Amy | | | | families have, which are often different from |
| Klobuchar and representatives from other breast | | | | those of women 40 and over. |
| cancer foundations with young adult populations, | | | | Today, I am a three-year survivor of breast |
| to support this legislation. | | | | cancer, and I am alive because of early detection. |
| I thought, "The EARLY Act is just what younger | | | | As I write this, I can reach over and touch my |
| women need. If it wasn't for early detection, | | | | daughter's face - because I am still here; because |
| many of them wouldn't be alive today." Imagine | | | | I found my lump in time. In the fall, I took my |
| my surprise when opponents of this bill began to | | | | daughter to school, as she started first grade, and |
| sprout up. Some said it was harmful and others | | | | watched her go in and find her way. And I was |
| said it would frighten young women. Yet, other | | | | there waiting for her after school- because I am |
| healthcare practitioners and breast cancer | | | | still be here, because of early detection. I wonder, |
| advocates thought we needed more evidence, to | | | | how many other young women lost the |
| prove that if young women did breast self | | | | opportunity to watch their children bloom and |
| examinations, it would affect their mortality rates. | | | | grow - learn to talk, walk, read, ride bikes, tie |
| Others argued that it might cause more young | | | | their shoes, go to their first day of school and will |
| women to go for needless biopsies and this might | | | | never see their children grow up to be men and |
| also impact healthcare costs and these young | | | | women - because of lack of awareness. |
| women's health long term. Still, others said that | | | | It is easy to play the numbers game when it is |
| only a small percentage of younger women get | | | | not personal, or when those opposing it are |
| breast cancer, so why make the investment in | | | | fighting in some way to maintain the status quo, |
| this legislation. | | | | some sort of power or control over the "way |
| After all the arguments, I still don't get it. What do | | | | things are". However, times are changing; and as |
| all of those things matter if you get breast cancer | | | | for those of us who are on either side of the |
| at a young age and die because you are unaware | | | | statistic pool, it is an easy decision - we are here |
| of the risks? What do fear, medical costs, long | | | | because of early detection or a life was lost |
| term health issues, and what more harm could it | | | | because of a lack of it. The EARLY Act is |
| cause if a young woman become metastatic and | | | | necessary - it is not an option. Young women's |
| has to deal with a shortened life span, lack of | | | | lives and futures depend on it. |