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Nurse shares breast cancer detection story, shares prevention lesson

Courtesy of wellness.byu.edu.

By Emma Carr

Gloria Aning, a nurse with the Nix Health Foundation, took the stage at an early breast cancer detection seminar  Oct. 26 with a bold personality and a booming voice to match. She insisted that she didn’t need a microphone and instead set out to tell her own story of neglecting to get annual breast exams, and then discovering cancer.

“I lost it for a while there,”  Aning said, referring to how she felt when doctors were taking scans but weren’t able to provide direct answers on her diagnosis. “You want answers.”

As a nurse, she knew she should have  annual breast exams but, “you get caught up in the daily grind of life.”

Aning was convinced, with the knowledge she had as a nurse, that she had 2b breast cancer, which would mean the cancer had not spread. She was wrong.

“I had it not only in my breasts, but also in my liver and bones,” she said.

Nix Health Foundation hosted the free educational event at the Nix Primary Care Center West, 700 S. Zarzamora St., to remind the public of the importance of early detection through monthly breast self-exams and yearly mammograms. Guest speakers presented information and a personal story of their own. Free clinical breasts exams were also offered by Nix physicians.

“We have had an event promoting breast cancer awareness for over five years now.  The event has been held at different Nix locations over the years,” Rebecca Martinez, director of corporate relations at NIX, said.

Guest speaker and breast surgeon Kathryn A. Wagner, M.D., spoke on a range of topics on how to prevent and/or catch cancer in its early stages.

“It’s all about living a healthy lifestyle,” Wagner said.

She explained the need to have a healthy diet including avoiding processed foods. Being a non-smoker was highly encouraged, as well as maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise.  Regular check-ups and yearly mammograms were stressed as well.

The five steps of breast self exam courtesy of www.breastcancer.org.

“These tests are designed to save your life,” Wagner said.

Wagner said with persistence that this was key to prevent cancer, but also made it clear that most of the time that there is nothing to worry about. “Most lumps are not breast cancer,” she said. “But, Never ignore a lump.”

Experts say it is  important to show exactly where you have found a lump to your doctor or a technician, so it may be more closely examined. Mammograms miss up to 15 percent of all cancers.

American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for women in the United States for 2011 amounted to 39,520 deaths from breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer, according to its website. Breast cancer death rates have been going down because of earlier detection.

The website also states the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35.

Monthly breast self-exams should begin in your 20s and yearly mammograms at age 35.

Though National Breast Cancer Awareness month has come to an end, experts say it is still important to remain proactive about breast cancer.

“Today’s the day to start,” said Aning. “The earlier we get it, the more we can do.”

About the Author

Emma Carr
This is my last semester at Texas A&M San Antonio and am excited to graduate and put my hard earned degree to use. I am majoring in Communication/Journalism and would enjoy going into TV news/morning shows.

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