Archive for December, 2010

Episode 3: The Glow of Claudia’s Heart

By on December 31, 2010 | Category: Featured Content,Webisodes | 6 Comments

Before Claudia can undergo her prophylactic double mastectomy she must first make sure her breasts are cancer-free. Watch as she undergoes a mammogram and MRI. She is joined by a new friend and sweetheart.

Tee Rouse

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | 1 Comment

I read your story in Home Journal and have now been keeping updated through your blog. WOW is all I can say to you. You are a very brave young person, to go through what you are going through is great. I do believe you will be/and are an inspiration to many, many young women. I have my own fun story- I too have been updating through a blog that my husband set up for to share my story with friends and family. I wouldn’t mind if you ever wanted to check it out or share with friends/family it is Teesblog.com. Read more …

Shelly Walker

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | 1 Comment

Last night on NBC, I watched you tell about your upcoming surgery. I had the same surgery in February of “1985” and reconstruction in May of 1985. I don’t regret it a bit!  I had lost 2 aunts to breast cancer, but back then, there was no testing to tell us if we carried the gene. Read more …

Candace Lamour

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | 2 Comments

Hi, my name is Candace Lamour and I am from New Jersey. I am now 39.  I was diagnosed in Aug 2007 with BC at 37 while breast-feeding my second child.  I found a lump.  I knew right away that I had BC. Read more …

Lita Goldstein-Poehlman

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | 2 Comments

On the night of December 17, 2007, my life was forever changed. My husband Ron & I were on an airliner on the way to Israel with my rabbi & a group of about 28 others.  It was my very first time traveling overseas. One week prior to leaving I had broken my left big toe in 4 places & was in a boot, on pain medication that barely took the edge off & found it impossible to get comfortable or sleep. Read more …

Lisa Edwards

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | No Comments

“Why I Surgically Removed My Breasts to Avoid My Legacy” – I am currently a 31 year old woman with two beautiful daughters and very happy to be living my life.  My vision of my world wasn’t always so rosy.  I grew up with a dark cloud hanging over my head.  The big “C” word took the life of my grandmother and threatened the lives of my two aunts and my mother.  If it happened to them, what was to stop cancer from striking me as well?  I was born with a predisposition to this disease and the thought of dying plagued me constantly.   When I realized that there were ways to defy my destiny…I did just that.  No one and no disease was going to stop me. Read more …

Tiffany Reiss Seely

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | No Comments

“Running Scared” – I choose this title because it was the actual act of running that led me to the right people. I was 14 when I was told that my mom was sick. I was at sleep away camp and was told mom was in the hospital having a minor surgery. My dad didn’t want me to worry. The truth was she was undergoing a complete hysterectomy. At the age of 38, my mother, Shevi Reiss, was diagnosed with stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. No signs, no symptoms, not a single person in the family prior to her was sick. Read more …

Lori Redunski

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | 1 Comment

Hi there. My story begins when my older sister called me to tell me she found a lump on her left breast. As most caring sisters say, “It’s probably nothing”. I had a small lump on my right breast years ago and it was only a cyst, as would be hers I assumed. Unfortunately, I was wrong and she was diagnosed with stage I, triple neg. breast cancer. That was only the beginning of our Breast Cancer family history. Read more …

Rachel Hommersen

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Previvor Stories | 4 Comments

My name is Rachel Hommersen, and I am a Canadian previvor.  A previvor does not in my case, mean you have a genetic mutation that might be harmful (or at least one that has been identified).  My family went through genetic testing and we received results last month, however, our results were somewhat ambiguous.  A BRCA2 mutation was found, but research has suggested on various fronts that our mutation could either be harmful or not.  It is called a ‘genetic mutation of unknown significance’ but more and more research is showing it to be a benign mutation and insignificant.  I need to listen to my family history as a guide and 5 cases of breast cancer speak loudly. Read more …

Getting Festive, Nervous and Downright Crazy

By on December 22, 2010 | Category: Claudia's Blog | 9 Comments

I don’t want to write, not while I’m feeling sad. Usually I share bits and pieces of my story when I’m excited about my decision, when I’m feeling particularly empowered and elated about lopping off my breasts to prevent cancer. I mean, who wouldn’t be, if it meant finally putting your anxiety and fear to rest?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic that in 21 days I’ll never have to worry about this disease again, at least not as much. During the first three hours of my mastectomy, my lifetime risk will go from around 90% to approximately 1-3%. That’s pretty cool! But right now I’m not feeling so peachy about the whole thing. Actually, I’m kinda scared. Read more …

Discussion

Subscribe to the Previve Email List