It’s been an interesting experience, speaking so often and so publicly about my breasts. They’ve always been a fairly intimate and private part of my body, but that’s changed. I guess breast cancer does that.
I didn’t do regular self exams, but if I did, I would likely have caught this lump earlier. I think one of the reasons I didn’t do them is that I didn’t really know what I was looking for. I read the handouts and tried to follow the directions, but it felt a bit random.
It doesn’t feel random now. I know what a lump feels like, and I want other women to, as well.
As a public service to this end, I’ve been inviting the women in my life to feel my lump, so they’ll know what to look for in their own breasts. Teens, grandmothers, and those in between have touched my breast, and when their fingers find the lump, a little light goes on for them. Now they know too.
If we’re standing in front of each other, and you’d like to feel it, don’t be shy to ask.
If I can meet what’s happening to me in a way that helps others, my own journey becomes more meaningful. It’s about me, but it’s also in service to something larger.