My mother died from Breast Cancer at the age of 54, her sister at age 31. The possibility of Breast Cancer has always been one of my biggest fears, and for this reason, have gotten mammograms every year since the age of 35 (now 64), always with good results. But in October of 2015 that was not the case. I received a phone call telling me they wanted me to come in for an ultrasound. My heart sank. After the ultrasound, they set me up for a biopsy and after that I had to go through the weekend imagining the worst. On Monday, I got the call at work. The result was "The Lump is Stage One Cancer". I just sat at my desk and cried. Luckily one of my sons works with me and came to my office to comfort me. Went in for a lumpectomy in December, then had to wait for those results to determine whether I would need Chemo or just radiation. I was lucky ~ just needed six weeks of Radiation. My family was terrific ~ they wouldn't let me go alone at any time ~ someone was there every day to take me and on the last day my children and grandchildren were there to watch me ring that Bell. I am now cancer free and a huge advocate for mammograms. All of my doctors told me that because of the size and position of the lump, they could not feel it and by the time I would have noticed it, I may not have been so lucky. In my eyes, the mammogram saved my life and it is good to be able to say that I am a Breast Cancer Survivor instead of I have Breast Cancer.

Caroline Lorraine
Glenolden, PA