I generally hate Reality TV

[polimicks]

And there isn't a chance in HELL I'd ever have watched any of the shows Jade Goody was on in Britian, Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother, etc... But you know what? I'm ok with her decision to remain in the spotlight while she dies of cancer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090219/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_reality_death

This is not to say that she needs my permission, or the permission of anyone but the people controlling the cameras, but I'm ok with it. Because if it gives lie to the belief that ovarian, cervical, uterine or breast cancer only happens to older women, I'd be willing to sit through a season or two of Big Brother in support of her.

The problem with the assumption that cancer only happens to older women is that doctors buy into it, too. And as with Jade, frequently the cancer will not be diagnosed in time, because "that doesn't happen to young women." Not that this is what happened with her, it may well be that she wasn't getting pap smears before this. But often, particularly with breast cancer, younger women will present with a lump or cancer symptoms, and they will be brushed off by their doctor, because of this belief that age somehow protects them.

Sometimes if the young women are lucky, or determined, enough, they will seek a second or third opinion from someone willing to actually diagnose them, not their age, and it will be caught in time to save their lives or their breasts or fertility.

If they aren't, they'll lose one or both breasts, or their reproductive organs, or their lives.

The mistaken belief that cancer is an old person's disease kills people.

Granted, in your 20s it is LESS likely that you'll have cancer, however, this does not give doctors leave to look at a lump in the breast of a 22 year old woman and say, "Well, I don't know what it is, but it's probably nothing." If you don't know what it is FIND OUT. And yes, I know that can be expensive. But not as expensive as invasive surgery and rounds of chemo.

Seriously, cancer happens to everyone, young and old, fit and unhealthy, all ethnicities, all classes. It doesn't care. And everyone needs to know that.

Comments

[lexica510.livejournal.com]

I started getting mammograms at age 35 (younger than the usual recommended age) because my mother died from breast cancer. For several years, it seemed to be up to me to remember to schedule them — my HMO's automated reminder system didn't seem to know how to handle younger women who needed to be reminded to go get squeezed. I was surprised and pleased to get a phone call from them earlier this month, saying "Hi, you're overdue for a screening test, please call us."

Oh... hey... a thought just struck me. I was going to push it back until July, and schedule it near my birthday. (My manager at work and I were talking about mammograms, and she said that she kept forgetting to schedule hers until she decided "I get my mammogram the week of my birthday. Period.") But yesterday would have been my mother's birthday. I think I'll schedule my annual scan for the week of Mom's birthday. She would like that, I think.

[polimicks.livejournal.com]

Breast cancer runs in my family. My grandmother had a mastectomy when I was small. She also had uterine cancer, as did all of her sisters. I'm kind of expecting it.

The last time I tried to get a mammogram, my doctor said not to bother yet, as my breasts were too firm for it to penetrate well. I will give it another try this year. I do self exams almost obsessively as it is.