I agree entirely with Steph, totally. I am glad she posted it. I have had this discussion so many times on a breast cancer forum, with newly diagnosed women who are wrought with 'guilt' and analysing that they caused 'C' somehow. Besides the women that blame themselves, there are many who once they have had the diagnosis presume that they can control it happening againg by adopting excessively obsessive lifestyles where everything that enters their mouth is monitored. This is part of the reason I say that stats are a 'slippery slope', because most BC cases are not related to any family history, that is an over-played theory. I was told that BC is just 'once of those things', in a huge number of cases it is just 'unlucky shit happening' and no risk factors can be in evidence. Of course it always makes sense to try and adhere to a healthy life style that avoids 'risk factors', for example there is 'proof' that exercise diminishes risk....but it should be borne in mind that these are large scale stats of many tens of thousands of people used to formulate the general risk trends.It may have an effect in one persons case that they exercise, but not in another person's case. The point is that all any of us can do is live in a way that we are psychologically comfortable with, the risk factors may be of relevance to us, they may not, no guarantees and no prophecies as I said earlier. You know what also - even if you are unfortunate enough to get a diagnosis of BC, no risk factor can be attributed generally to the cause (unless of course you have BRCA).
I was also perfect BMI, teetotal, non smoker, vegetarian with good diet, not a massive cardiac exerciser but very physically active and a walker, 2 female family members with BC but not my closest female family line. Steph had a rarer form of BC, generally seen in younger women which is harder to treat. With 1 in 8 having BC at some point in a lifetime (usually old age) that accounts for the number that are seen in most families. Now, I repeat what she also said, that this is not said to scare people, but part of dealing with HA (in my opinion) is learning that life holds risk, things do happen, but as Steph and I prove, there is modern era medical strength and learning to reduce the fear of a diagnosis is quite liberating and learning that adopting healthy lifestyles is important for so many reasons - but its no guarantee of anything. So many people, erin included, fear and fear and fear...I won't cope IF the absolute worse happens, IF I have a diagnosis of something.....but you know what everyone will at some point in life and when your back is against the wall you do what is necessary to get through. I don't even think its about bravery, to be perfectly frank (and many people I know who have had C agree) its about being thrown into a situation where you have no choice and just get on with what is needed.
Something is gonna finish us off, for some it is earlier in life, but we are all mortal and for most this will be in old age.
That was a ramble.....but wanted to add it is very exciting to hear about and read the immunotherapies research that are taking place in the last few years It is beyond exciting, the thought that at some point brutal treatment methods could be a thing of the past. Wanna do something that really tries to reduce probability of people dying of cancer ? Give to cancer research! Then adopt the very obvious and well known healthy living strategies that are known to be beneficial for all sorts of illnesses, and live for the day.
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Originally Posted by erincassells
