Nancy H., Diagnosed While Pregnant - Now a 29 Year Breast Survivor!

Thanks for sharing your story, Nancy. It should definitely shed some hope on the under 30 survivor crowd. I am ALWAYS inspired by long time survivors. I hope to be one one day myself!

At the "Ripe OLD AGE of 26", while pregnant with my third child, I was taking a shower and noticed a little lump in my left breast. "Oh my Goodness, what is that?" I thought to myself. "It must be a plugged milk duct or something". During my next doctor visit, I notified the doctor of the lump (about the size of a pea). He told me not to worry, but we'll have it checked out anyway. He sent me to a general surgeon who took needle biopsy after needle biopsy, telling me that it was negative. I was six months pregnant at the time.

As I got closer to having the baby, the "cyst" went from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball in the matter of three months. I delivered my baby in March of 1980, they came and told me I couldn't breast feed him. The "cyst" was malignant. Here I am, 26 years old with three children, age(s) 2, 4 and now a newborn. They told me that It was a slow growing cancer, but If I didn't have it taken care of, I would probably be dead in a year. How's that for a reality check?!

How could this be? I thought breast cancer only happened to women over 40 or 50 years old. NOT SO!

I, however, was a lucky one. Through my self-examination, and knowing my own body, the cancer was detected early enough to be treated by a modified radical mastectomy. Since then, I have lost my Cousin (in her mid 40's) to breast cancer. I also fear for my Daughter (now age 33), but she knows the importance of doing her Self-examinations and having her mammograms done yearly.

I am 55 years old this year and I Praise the Lord, that I have been able to see my children grow up. I now have (3) Grand-Daughters who will also be educated in our family history, so that when they become adults, they can also be aware of this horrible disease, and hopefully prevent anything serious from happening to them.

Every year, since 2001, I participate in the "Horizon of Hope" - sponsored by The Longaberger Company, which raises funds for Breast Cancer Research and Awareness Programs. This is their 15th, year raising more than $14 million dollars for the American Cancer Society to date. As a Longaberger Consultant, I feel that it gives me a venue and a "mission" to promote Awareness and the importance of Early Detection. I am a true believer of self-examination and "Together, we CAN Make a Difference"!

Thank you for allowing me to tell MY story. (For more information on the Horizon of Hope, go to www.horizonofhope.com or www.longaberger.com/nancyhuntsman )

Sincerely,

Nancy H. - Newfane, NY
(29 Year Breast Cancer Survivor)