'Self-Exam Saved My Life': Breast Cancer Stories Of Survival

LOS ALAMITOS, CA – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while the pink ribbons and 5K walks are a nice way to show support, the reality of breast cancer is often a messier, deeply personal journey of survival.

This month, Patch is sharing tributes and personal anecdotes of breast cancer survival from our readers. To kick things off, I'll tell you a little bit about my aunt and breast cancer survivor, Karen Muccino, who says a self-exam saved her life.

When I was little, I frequently said "I want to be like Auntie Karen when I grow up." She was beautiful, of course, but what impressed my adolescent-self the most was her generosity, fierce passion for life, her belly-laugh-inducing sense of humor and her undeniable strength. She was a "girl boss" before the term was coined, and knew how to stand her ground. She was a force to be reckoned with – to me, she was indestructible.

In March 2013, Karen found a lump in one of her breasts during a self-exam. Two days later, she was told she had breast cancer. As we get older, we learn that no one is indestructible, and even the strongest people we know have to overcome obstacles. But this was a big one.

In May, she had a mastectomy, and over the next two years, she had six reconstructive surgeries. But throughout the entire ordeal – throughout the pain, discomfort, and the doctors visits – her spirit was unwavering. Just five months after her mastectomy, we spent a weekend on the Central California coast zip-lining over wineries and tearing through the sand dunes on ATVs. Sure, she had an (often painful) expander in her left reconstructive area, but nothing would stop her from continuing to live her life the way she intended to.

"Self-exam saved my life, but humor saved my soul," she told me.

May 28, 2018 marked her five year anniversary of being cancer free. Today, she is still the generous, fiercely passionate, wildly funny and strong woman I've looked up to since I was a child.

Thanks to her self-exams, she was diagnosed while still in Stage 1 and was able to avoid chemotherapy and radiation. Now, every October, while passing out Halloween candy to neighborhood kids, she passes breast cancer self-exam pamphlets to their moms.

"Early detection is a cure, and I'm living proof," she said.

Also read: Refusing To Be Sidelined: Breast Cancer Stories Of Survival

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According to the non-profit BreastCancer.org, here are five steps on how to perform a self-exam:

Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

• Look for breasts that are their normal size, shape and color with no swelling or distortion
• Bring these signs to your doctor's attention: dimpling, puckering, bulging of the skin, redness, soreness, rash, swelling or change in your nipples

Step 2: Raise your arms above your head and look for the same changes.

Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (a watery, opaque, or yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4: Feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and vice versa. Use a firm, smooth touch in a circular motion with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side, and from the collarbone to top of your abdomen, as well as from your armpit to your cleavage.

Step 5: Repeat Step 4, this time standing or sitting.

What is your breast cancer survivor story? Would you like to pay tribute to a survivor in your life? Send your photos and messages to Autumn Johnson at autumn.johnson@patch.com and we will share your stories as a message of support, hope and love this October 2018.

Photo courtesy of Karen Muccino