by Estelle Trogan
Image of a Breast Cancer Awareness Month Slogan
Credit: The Southern Folk , 26 Feb. 2021.
What is Breast Cancer? The textbook definition of breast cancer, according to the CDC, is “a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control.” But breast cancer has different definitions for different people. Mrs. Sara Leanza, an English teacher at Biotechnology High School, has her own: “a dark angel in which at the end there is light.”
You might be wondering why is any of this relevant. Most people don’t know that 1 in every 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women. It is a disease your mother, sister, aunt, wife, friend, daughter, or any female or sometimes even male loved one could endure.
The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and is also known as Pinktober. The month of October was deemed Breast Cancer Awareness month in 1985 by the American Cancer Society and AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company that manufactures several drugs combating breast cancer. During the month of October, charities and common people collaborate to spread awareness for this widespread disease. Organizations use the month of October to get the attention of people who are unaware of the gravity of Breast Cancer. During the month of October, many events take place. The organization Making Strides Against Breast Cancer helps unite communities to join the cause and helps raise funds for research. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the largest network for breast cancer events across the United States.
The month of October means different things to different people. For some, October is a time to share strength and bravery, while for others, Pinktober is a time to spread awareness.
Breast cancer survivor Mrs. Sara Leanza was diagnosed with Triple Receptor Negative Breast Cancer as a 28 year old recently married woman. The cancer was caught at stage 2B nearing stage 3. Mrs. Leanza underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy, 30 days of radiation therapy, multiple surgeries, and fought for her life and future for about two years. Her initial reaction was shock and a bit of denial. “I recall repeating the phrase, ‘You need to fix it, please fix it,’ to the doctor when I first found out about my diagnosis,” says Mrs. Leanza. “I was shocked and sort of remember blacking out for a little bit and being in denial.” Her biggest obstacle was overcoming her fear to sleep and die. As a 28 year old, she knew she had many great years ahead and could not imagine being unable to experience the lifetime and future she dreamed of. She overcame her fear by seeing her doctors appointments grow further apart and seeing results, but according to Mrs. Leanza, the biggest thing that helped her was time. The saying “time heals all wounds” was somewhat true in this case.
Mrs. Leanza says she is most grateful for her daughter, Lucy. Lucy was a miracle baby and she helped Mrs. Leanza continue with the life she wanted for herself. When naming her daughter, Mrs. Leanza knew she wanted alliteration and was attached to the name Lucy. At the time Mrs. Leanza did not know it, but the name Lucy means light, and in her own words, “Lucy truly is the light of my life.”
To Mrs. Leanza, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not about joining groups, but it is about wearing the pink ribbon and acknowledging other people’s fight and her own fight through death in order to continue with her life plans. To her and her family, the pink ribbon represents strength, courage, and bravery. Mrs. Leanza says that “pink is our favorite color, mine and Lucy's.” Her advice for people going through breast cancer is “it is not over until it is over.” Her other piece of advice is that you have to acknowledge that it is not just a physical battle, but a mental battle and a journey that takes strength.
This article was created to spread awareness for the disease and to share a story of someone among our community who is a survivor.
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, September 22). What is breast cancer? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/what-is-breast-cancer.htm#:~:text=Breast%20cancer%20is%20a%20disease,different%20parts%20of%20the%20breast.
Making strides against breast cancer. American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.cancer.org/involved/fundraise/making-strides-against-breast-cancer.html.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Comprehensive Center for Women's Medicine: Integrative and Holistic Women's Health Practice. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.ccwm.com/blog/october-is-breast-cancer-awareness-month.
'Pinktober': What breast cancer awareness month means to patients. Fred Hutch. (2017, October 12). Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2014/10/Pinktober-breast-cancer-awareness-month-patients.html.