Beyond the Breasts…

October is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And, October 6 marks my 17th year as a Breast Cancer Survivor.

It is estimated that over 192,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and it is possible that over 40,000 women will not survive. There are a number of statistics I could site, however I will focus this column on moments that will hopefully make it easy to move beyond the breasts.
 

Some women have added more to accentuate their look. While some have opted to decrease their breast size due to pain and discomfort. Many have struggled with finding the right bra size. Some have discovered bras can sometimes be overrated. What happens if a woman receives a diagnosis of breast cancer? A number of feelings are stirred up inside and we wonder, now what?

If a woman has felt defined by her breasts will she think of herself differently without them? What in the world will the significant other in her life think of her? When a decision to remove the breast(s) or portion of a breast provides a significant chance of living beyond the diagnosis, well… what would you do? Hopefully you will find peace in moving beyond the breasts and discover a deeper source inside that rises up and lends support to you - the one that has always been there for everyone else.

News flash! Women, we are not defined by our height, our hair or our breasts. We are and always have been more than the labels people may use to describe us. If you are a woman who has found liberation or peace in losing a breast(s) or a portion of one, please reach out to other women and share your experiences and what you have discovered about yourself. For we all know it’s only when you lose something that you really stand to gain.

What I have gained over these last seventeen years is a connection with incredible women and families I may have never known. I’ve also gained great joy in laughing at myself. (Let’s do lunch and I’ll gladly share my silly thoughts and adventures).

If you’ve lost a loved one to breast cancer celebrate the beauty and gift of life they left behind in you. If you are currently being treated for breast cancer…view the treatment, as difficult as it may be as a source of nourishment toward your healing.

Whether you have received a diagnosis of breast cancer or are in the process of surviving, spend some time nourishing yourself by eating the right foods, exercising, de-stressing and even undressing yourself. By undressing I mean removing those situations from your life that can make you feel less than the beautiful, magnificent woman that you are.

It is not the size of the breasts or even the continued existence of a woman’s breasts that make her special. It is the spirit within every woman that leads you beyond the breasts and the diagnosis.

“In Waiting” for a cure and always, “Expecting the Extraordinary.”

-Gillie Haynes