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Pamela Boyd |
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Tell Them to Send You a Card
One of the first things I did
when I learned I had breast
cancer was to buy books to bring
me knowledge and give me
strength. But while filled with
touching personal reflections,
spiritual support and medical
information, they didn’t provide
the solace I sought.
It became clear that I needed to
find my own way in the journey
ahead. What I learned was more
superbly energizing than
anything I could have read in a
book.
Tell them to send you a card
When family, friends and
neighbors ask, “What can I do to
help?” tell them, “I would love
for you to send me a card.”
Those cards provided me with
ongoing, heartfelt support. They
lasted longer than a phone call
(for which you may not have the
energy) and can make you laugh,
cry and revel in your blessings. |
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Dump the guilt
Like many women, I don’t always
do well in letting people help
me. Here, a six-year survivor of
breast cancer shares her wisdom:
“People will want to help and
when they do, let them.” So I
did. And so should you. Letting
people go to the grocery store,
mail a package or bring over a
full-course meal actually made
them feel better too.
Let it fall into place
It took me a while to realize
that cancer—if it had to happen—couldn’t
have come at a better time. My
life was in balance and my
significant relationships were
strong. I created an extensive
list of reasons, big and little,
to help remind me that getting
cancer couldn’t have happened at
a better time.
Recognize and appreciate how it
“falls into place” for you.
Enjoy the longest eyelashes
you will ever have
Give yourself an opportunity to
celebrate the eyelashes you
never knew you had. They will
never look more beautiful to you.
When you do lose your eyelashes
and eyebrows, do something nice
for yourself—I got a facial!
Treat yourself with something
comfortable
Buy the perfect pajamas, pick up
thick cotton socks or high-quality
lotion. Treat yourself to an
easy-to-read magazine you
normally wouldn’t buy. Don’t
forget to keep plenty of
popsicles on hand.
Create a “cancer corner”
I created a cancer corner: A
place where I read, kept my
journal, wrote thank-you notes
and made phone calls. This is a
way of recharging yourself.
Don’t worry if you don’t have
enough energy to write thank-you
notes. You will find many ways
to thank people when you feel
better.
Find your rock
I have a dear friend who had
already experienced breast
cancer—someone I could call
anytime, day or night—her
support meant a great deal to
me.
When you’re ready, be a rock for
someone else in their breast
cancer journey. You will get as
much, if not more from it, as
she will.
Recognize your angels
Angels—in the form of generosity,
support, gestures and unexpected
moments—found me every day. They
came in many ways, such as
getting a good parking spot when
I was tired, or as unexpected
notes in the mail.
Find or deepen your
spirituality
Whether you are spiritual or not,
cancer provides an opportunity
for you to have a spiritual
experience more deeply. My
illness served as a gateway to
foster my spirituality and
helped me establish a stronger
foundation on which I continue
to build.
Go bald
Initially I wore hats everywhere,
except at home. But as I learned
to appreciate the comfort of
being bald, my confidence grew.
Going bald in public led to many
brief but meaningful encounters
with breast cancer survivors,
their families and friends. They
provided me with positive energy
and unexpected support.
And yes, I told some of them to
send me a card.
Pam Boyd has been cancer-free
since March 2005 and is
continually reminded that cancer
can, indeed, be a strange
blessing. |
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Breast Cancer Facts
for Latinas
Did You Know:
Breast cancer is the
most common cancer
affecting Hispanic women.
About 92 per 100,000
Hispanic women are
afflicted with breast
cancer every year.
Hispanic women have a
lower incidence of
breast cancer than non-Hispanic
women.
Although death from
breast cancer declined
in Latinas from 1995 to
2003, breast cancer
kills 16 per 100,000
women each year and is
the leading cause of
cancer death.
Hispanic women have a
lower breast cancer
survival rate than non-Hispanic
white women. This is
predominantly due to
diagnosis and treatment
of breast cancer at a
later stage. 58% of
Hispanic women verses
66% of non-Hispanic
women are diagnosed when
the breast cancer is
still localized. Breast
cancers diagnosed at a
later stage are larger
and more difficult to
treat.
Only 66% of Hispanic
women over age 40 have
had screening
mammography within the
past 2 years. Reasons
for lower screening
rates include financial
and language barriers,
extent of acculturation,
and socioeconomic
status.
How are cancer disparity
issues being addressed
for Latinos?
The following
organizations and
initiatives are seeking
to bridge cancer
disparity issues for
Latinos:
“Redes En Acción:
The National Latino
Cancer Research Network”
represents a strong
effort to unite a broad
range of forces –
National Cancer
Institute cancer centers,
academic institutions,
governmental entities,
national organizations
and foundations, and
community-based groups —
to address diverse
Latino cancer issues.
The Cancer Prevention
and Control Research
Network (CPCRN) is a
national network of
academic, public health,
and community
partnerships recently
established to
accelerate the adoption
of evidence-based cancer
prevention and control
in communities.
The Racial and Ethnic
Approaches to Community
Health (REACH)
initiative is an
important federal
initiative that supports
community coalitions in
designing, implementing,
and evaluating community-driven
strategies to eliminate
disparities experienced
by Latinos and other
minority populations
Several other examples
of national networks for
community programs
include the CDC’s
National Breast and
Cervical Cancer Early
Detection Program and
the National
Comprehensive Cancer
Control Program.
Source: Howe, et
al. Annual Report to the
nation on the status of
cancer, 1975-2003,
featuring cancer among
U.S. Hispanic/Latino
populations; Cancer,
Online Publication, 6
Sep 2006. |
By
Pamela Boyd |
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[This article has been
edited for
www.latinastyle.com. For the full version,
check out the September/October issue of LATINA Style.]
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