With Cancer on the rise, I'm sure most of us are affected by it knowing someone who has it or who has passed from it. Each and every day I hear of someone nearly diagnosed or who has succombed to this terrible disease. It's scary. Last year my grandmom was diagnosed with colon cancer. This year, my aunt, who raised me and who I do consider to be my mom, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily they both were in the early stages. The worst thing in the world is how it turns your life completely upside down. My aunt thought she was going in for a routine mammogram and they called her the next day and said they needed to do a repeat. We all have routine doctors appointments, but how do you react when there is something really wrong? How do you transition. I swear I don't know exactly how to handle taking my aunt back and forth from chemo treatments and doctors appointments. I don't know how to react to watching her lose weight, her hair, being nauseated, and affected by the effects of chemotherapy. I honestly feel like she's wearing away before my eyes, but the reality of the situation is she's fine and she's probably going to be fine in the long run. It's crazy seeing a loved onegoing from a seemingly normal life to a broken one. Life definitely doesn't prepare you for it. I'll tell you that I always heard the stories of people with cancer, but none of them really hit home with me because I couldn't personally relate. Now that I have had a one on one encounter with it, I do feel like I should be a voice. I do feel like everyone should join together as one and help fight this disease. A lot is already being done, but I can't help but feel like it's still not enough.

The positive outlook is, for everyone one person I hear about dying from cancer, there's at least two others that survived or so it seems. You can beat cancer. It's not a death sentence anymore. I'd be lying to say if I were to say I'm not scared because I am, but I have to be strong for my aunt. We can't let fear or cancer win. Anyway, next month, as many may know, is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I can't force anyone on here to do anything, but I ask you to give to Breast Cancer Research, donate to Susan G.. Komen, women go get your mammograms, research this disease, do something to fight because you never know when it may affect you or your loved ones. Of course it isn't just about Breast Cancer, but also about leukemia, prostate, colon, bladder, ovarian, cervical, bone, rectal, testicular, etc. I just felt like the Month of October would be a good time to discuss this.

This thread is for cancer awareness and for those of you who are going through or have went through what I am currently going through to share your stories.

Discuss.

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in August 2010. I went to the doctor for a bad cough, only to find out I had an enlarged lymph node in my throat that was pressing against my airway (and several other enlarged lymph nodes in my chest, under my ribcage), causing me to cough all day and night. After having multiple scans and a biopsy done, it was confirmed that I had Stage-3 Hodgkin's Lyphoma. In all honestly, as strange as this may sound, I knew I had cancer before I ever went to the doctor. I can't explain it... just something in my soul told me that I wasn't okay.

Anyways, after finding out I had cancer I did a LOT of research. I actually found peace that way. I learned that Hodgkin's Lymphoma had a MUCH higher cure rate than Non-Hodkin's. This kept my spirit high. Chemo went fairly smoothly for me. I had a portacath put in just below my collar bone, on the right side. (For those who don't know what a portacath is, it's basically a permenant IV. It's put in surgically and is completely under the skin. It makes the doc/nurse's job WAY easier to give chemo and draw blood. It's also much easier on the patient). After 6 months of chemo, I was declared cancer-free! My most recent scan was at the beginning of this month and I am still cancer-free!

All I can say is be grateful for all the medical advances and the fact that we have access to those advances! Chemo may be a bitch sometimes but it's saves lives! It saved my life, and it's saving your aunt's life. I know it's hard sometimes, but keep your sprit up. Try to stay positive and remember that everything happens for a reason, whether good or bad. I am praying for your aunt, and truely hope for the best!