While it might seem ironic, given that my experience with breast cancer began when I was only 35 years old, I want to raise awareness regarding cancer prevention, inspire and encourage others, and push for better access to cancer screening and care.
I am the proud mother of three young adults aged 16, 18, and 20 years old. Maternity brought with it precious moments that I will always cherish, but after three pregnancies and breastfeeding all of my newborns, I noticed that my breasts had drastically reduced in size. After much reflection and waiting to see whether matters would improve – which they didn’t – I decided to undergo a breast augmentation in the fall of 2022.
Make your voice heard
Before the surgery, I made an appointment with my family doctor for a routine check-up and to get a referral for a mammogram, just as a precaution. He refused, adding “… especially not at 35, which is such a young age.”
I felt ignored. Unfortunately, the Québec Breast Cancer Screening Program has been specifically conceived for women between the ages of 50 and 74, which does nothing to promote early cancer detection among the province’s younger generations. Nevertheless, breast cancer is the type of cancer most often diagnosed among Québec women between 30 and 49 years of age.
Ask for a second opinion to help you make better informed choices
After my doctor’s refusal, I nonetheless went ahead with the breast augmentation surgery the following month. And then I felt a lump while checking my breasts during my recovery. I listened to my body and took control of my health, quickly asking my plastic surgeon for a second opinion during my next post-surgical follow-up appointment. He provided me with a screening referral after finding a fibroadenoma (benign tumor) in one of my breasts. Two mammograms and one ultrasound later, my anxiety was at its peak.
Many women under the age of 50 who discover a lump find themselves facing countless obstacles to getting a mammogram for breast cancer.
After several weeks spent waiting for my results (on top of the 6 months I had to wait before undergoing my first mammogram), I quickly realized that my lump was not part of the implant nor a benign tumor. I received a breast cancer diagnosis in March 2023, at what is undeniably a young age. The words stage III shattered my world. I was 35 years old. I had no symptoms before discovering the lump in my breast. There was no history of breast cancer in my family. I couldn’t stop wondering how things would have turned out if my voice had really been heard. I was, and still am, angry at my family doctor, at his biased view of things, at the stigmatization I experienced, and at the province’s breast cancer screening policies. My spouse shares my anger, especially since tumor size and cancer stage have an impact on survival odds, and this even with the progress made in the area of treatments.
Turn the negative into positive
I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was taken in charge by the oncology nurse at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. At the hospital’s Espace partenaires en cancérologie, I learned that art therapy, offered by the Quebec Cancer Foundation, was available on-site and quickly registered for the workshops proposed by Foundation art therapist Lucie Sarrasin.
I’d always been drawn to art, mostly for its social and therapeutic aspects. Through these workshops, I explored a medium that allowed me to express my feelings alongside other people in a similar situation. All breast cancer victims share certain frustrations regarding the possibility of having to undergo a mastectomy, falling ill again, seeing their body change, having unequal breasts… all because of cancer. Being truly understood is beneficial and even uplifting. To participate in workshops, either virtually or in person, check out the calendar here.
Thanks to the Quebec Cancer Foundation, I not only found a community that supports me, but also a welcoming and safe environment where I can unwind, find useful resources, and ultimately, remember who I was, and still am. I am so very grateful for the existence of the Foundation, an organization that has been helping people like me, and those close to them, for the past 45 years.
And what’s more, I’ll soon be enjoying massage therapy, again thanks to the Foundation. I’m also considering seeing a sexologist who was recommended by an Info-cancer nurse. Generally speaking, I talk about the Foundation to anyone who will listen, as I’m constantly astounded at the sheer number of services they offer. Thanks to them, I’ve found this truly excruciating time easier to get through.
Pay it forward
I also discovered that I have a passion for an ancestral art that is becoming quite the craze: embroidery, which I do in spite of the musculoskeletal pain in my wrist (due in part to my artistic pursuits but mainly to my treatments). I first learned about its popularity while engaging with Lucie, the art therapist, and messaging with other workshop participants. The Foundation was very supportive and last spring, allowed me to give a first in-person embroidery workshop for people under the age of 40 with cancer. And now, there’s actually a waiting list! I plan to offer the workshop again this summer and fall, for paying it forward gives me a feeling of joy and fulfillment. I believe that all of this can lead to greater self-expression, better self-esteem, emotional well-being, improved rehabilitation, etc.
And lastly, I chose to share my story in an attempt to increase awareness and urge women and men to learn more about cancer, screening, and prevention, and this from a young age. Taking control of one’s health can be life-saving, as it was for me. Now 37, I’m planning breast reconstruction surgery in the near future. I’m also still undergoing treatment and looking at benefiting from some of the other services offered at no cost by the Foundation, which also comes with valuable support from a strong community.
The points of view and experiences shared through personal stories on our website are those of the people who have chosen to speak of their cancer journey. They do not necessarily represent the position of the Quebec Cancer Foundation. None of the information or details in such stories have been medically assessed, nor are they meant to replace the advice of a medical professional. Always discuss any treatment plans or objectives with your healthcare team before making any decisions.
