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Cindy's Story

Age when diagnosed: 41 - 45
Florida, United States of America
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Speaking to others about my experiences a year later

Mon, May 11 2009 by Cindy

Approximately one year later I was invited as a guest speaker in Psychology classes at the University of Miami where I shared with many students my breast cancer experiences. There have been many times when I lectured that I had to hold back my tears. Just remembering all I had gone through was very emotional for me. However, I knew that I needed to be strong because I wanted very much to help educate other young women and men about breast cancer.

As I began to speak, I noticed the interest in their faces and I realized they truly were interested in learning about breast cancer. I explained to them that self breast examination, awareness and early detection of breast cancer was critical for early diagnosis and cure. I encouraged them to be proactive, and if they felt something was wrong with their body to tell someone.

Soon after I spoke in psychology classes at the University of Miami, my husband at the time asked if I would speak in his psychology high school class (11th and 12th graders). I thought about it for sometime before I agreed. Most teenagers seem to think that nothing bad can happen to them, as I did at that age. I was not sure they would really be interested because I thought they would find it difficult to relate to the experience.

On the day of my talk I was extremely nervous. I wondered whether they would like me or even care about the subject of breast cancer. As I began speaking to the students I was thrilled how they opened up to me, which inspired me to continue speaking for the entire hour. I shared everything with them from how it felt to have a mammogram, to having a biopsy procedure, and the removal of my breast.

After my lecture I remember one young girl approached me and asked all kinds of questions, which she was embarrassed to ask in front of the other students. She also mentioned she could not even speak with her own mother about breast cancer. I was not surprised because I remember myself as a teenager never talking to my own mother. I was embarrassed and would rather speak with my friends never realizing they, too, knew just as much as I did about breast cancer, which was nothing.