Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Breast Cancer Alliance. All opinions and experiences are my own, and the information in this post is not meant to treat or diagnose illnesses.
Three years ago my world nearly came crashing down. While I had just had my son and this should have been a happy time, we found out my grandmother, a 20 year breast cancer survivor, broke her hip for the second time and was diagnosed with late stage dementia. Just as we thought the news couldn’t get any worse, my own mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I can’t tell you about the sleepless newborn nights or the problems with teething and common newborn issues. I can tell you I didn’t know how we would make it through the next few months. From diagnosis to drastic surgery, the weeks flew by. I tried not to make this moment about me, after all, it was my mother fighting the hardest battle of her life, but this season was one of the hardest in my life as well. I remember feeling helpless. Not knowing exactly how to offer support. I knew even my best words wouldn’t calm the fear rising in her soul. Instead of wallowing in the negative, I tried to continue as if life was “normal.”
As a young child, I remember my grandmother’s battle with breast cancer vividly. She spent a few days in the hospital, had surgery, and then continued to visit the hospital periodically for treatment. It was just our way of life- no tears were shed, and since everyone else trucked along, I never felt the fear of breast cancer looming in our home (my grandmother lived with us.) There was no special bell to ring when she was done with treatments. There was no celebration. Life just went on and it was “no big deal.” So, why shouldn’t my mom have the same experience? Why shouldn’t she be better after all is said and done? This experience is what I held onto so passionately, even when I felt the most negative feelings creeping up.
The first October after her diagnosis marked the end of that year of fear for our family. My parents aren’t big into celebrations, but we did something a little different than dinner and cake. We celebrated by attending the Breast Cancer walk through the Breast Cancer Alliance. Friends and family helped support our efforts, and after all was said and done, we came back to my house for a celebratory breakfast. It may be small efforts for some, but it was a moment where we almost felt we could breathe again, as a family.
I know our story is a familiar one to so many all over the globe. It’s a moment filled with many emotions, and way deep down we all dig for our hope and strength to get through these moments. You can find out more about the Breast Cancer Alliance and their Silent Auction. There’s a lot of fun items being auctioned off, and there’s an event on October 30th, 2018 where you can find out if you’ve won the auction. The best thing about the Breast Cancer Alliance is their small size and tight-knit community, so you know exactly where your efforts are going. With the odds of 1 in 8 women diagnosed with Breast Cancer, this is an epidemic that affects us all.
To find out more and participate in the Silent Auction to raise money for breast cancer treatment and prevention, be sure to visit the Breast Cancer Alliance Silent Auction. You can also find out more about their initiatives, goals, and progress by visiting the Breast Cancer Alliance on Facebook. For our daughters, our mothers, our grandmothers, and ourselves, please consider participating in the silent auction.
