Marvelous Maryann

One of our very own fabulous Fighting Pretty women sent us some photos to keep us posted on how she is doing. Not only is she fighting most fabulously, but she is doing well, and her spirits are up!

Take a look at some of her photos and keep her in your thoughts and prayers! Go Maryann! Red is definitely your color! You are amazing!!

Top 20 Ways to Cut Down Your Risk of Breast Cancer

I don't normally post things like this, but having gone through breast cancer, I wish I would have known some of these things prior to my diagnosis. None of the things below are hard to incorporate into your daily routine, so read on and start taking steps to reduce your risk of breast cancer!

Be sure to read the full article but for a quick cheat sheet....read on:

1. Be breast aware. If you see (or feel) something, say something! 
2. Take action if you’re high risk. If you know your mom/sister/cousin had breast cancer, get a mammogram, do a self breast exam. Get smart about breast cancer.
3. Get active. Studies show only 30 minutes of moderate activity can reduce breast cancer by 20%. It's only 30 minutes! (Think that you would easily sit on the couch for 30 - so get up and move you bootie!)
4. Get vigorous with the housework! See, you can work out for 30 minutes a day. Dusting and vacuuming counts!
5. Maintain a healthy weight. Be smart about what you put in your body. If you ate a big lunch, have a salad for dinner. And maybe only a few bites of Haagen Daaz. Not the whole container!
6. Try out the “prevention diet.” Read on about this one, not so sure what a "Meditteranean diet" even is.
7. Drink less booze. Have a small glass of vino, you don't need to finish the bottle! And if you are out with friends, try having a glass of water between each drink. 
8. Be careful when taking any artificial ­hormones. This is a big one. Talk to your doctor about this, and try to minimize your take in of hormones. 
9. Watch your lifestyle if you work shifts. Studies show this may have an effect on getting breast cancer. But some would say, it's because these ladies may work a ton, lose good eating habits and are stressed out! 
10. Attend screening appointments. Definitely a do! 
11. Keep your cholesterol levels down. Talk to your doctor about how you can manage your cholesterol intake. 
12. Take a fish oil supplement. Scientists believe that fish oils may help reduce ­inflammation, which may prevent cells from becoming damaged and cancerous
13. Breast feed your children. Studies show this is really great. Plus, the longer a woman breast-feeds, the lower her chances of getting the disease.
    
14. Reduce stress. Go to the spa, go for a run, have your hubby rub your feet, read a book, whatever. Do something for yourself that reduces stress.
15. Avoid unhealthy chemicals. Very important. Stay away from parabens (in makeup/beauty products), and DO NOT microwave food in plastic containers.
16. Eat varied and colorful fruit and veggies. Say no to processed foods, and yes to fruits and veggies. Just be sure that if they have skins, to wash them very well. 
17. Boost your fiber intake. Fiber may effect the way your body processes estrogen - a common cause of cancer in younger women. Opt in for fiber-rich foods like whole wheat pasta, brown rice and more.
18. Think twice before you have breast ­implants. There is a scary statistic related to this point. Your boobies are perfect just the way they are. 
19. Ask about aspirin. Something to think about...some research suggests women with breast cancer could halve their risk of dying from the disease by taking aspirin
    
20. Get some sun. Shocking to hear this, but it's true. Vitamin D is great for you, so go out and get some sun. But make sure you're wearing sunblock (preferably without parabens!)

Linda's Lessons

Check out this post from Linda Guenther, a rock-star who is keeping positive and battling cancer all with a smile on her face!

It's July 13, and this round of chemo (#3 out of 4) seems to be kicking my butt - sooo tired, but halfway there!! But here's a little bit about me, and some things that I've learned on my journey. Here goes:

I am a wife (2nd time is a charm!) and mother of 2 grown children living in Alexandria, Virginia originally a transplant from San Francisco, California. I had kept putting off having a mammogram because I "thought" I was too busy and quite frankly I didn't enjoy having my boobs pulled and squashed! Big mistake.
At about the same time my pcm ordered a mammogram appointment for me, I noticed a lump in my left breast. What followed was 2 mammograms, an ultrasound then a biopsy. On April 8th, 2013 I tested positive for cancer. More specifically, IDC, DCIS and ER+ PR+ HER2-. I felt as if someone just punched me in my gut. With no prior history of cancer in my family, I never thought I would hear those dreaded words, "You have cancer." On April 30th, I underwent a lumpectomy, a sentinel node removal and bilateral breast reconstruction. Good news is that my surgeon was successful in removing the cancerous tumor and was able to get clear margins on it; not so good news is that the node had micro cancer cells in it, which meant adding chemotherapy to my treatment plan.

I'm still recovering from the surgery but feeling better each day. I cannot believe how perky my boobs are now! Hey, you gotta find a silver lining in all of this, right? Now, if only I could get a tummy tuck...then that would be like hitting the lotto! ;-)

So what have I learned from all of this? Well...let me tell you:
Q: Most days I find myself...
A: Enjoying my time with my husband, playing with my 10 year old Westie and giving advice to my 2 grown children. They keep me laughing and can at times,  make me want to drink! LOL

Q: Given what I know now, what would I recommend to other women?
A: Go and get your mammogram and if you find a lump - don't ignore it, get it checked! Maintain a healthy weight, eat more greens and watch your diet. I now try to get my veggies in my daily diet by making green smoothies mixed with fruit. It's so much easier to "drink" your veggies than try to eat them all.

Q: How has my life changed?
A: I definitely have a new "normal" now. With this disease, you have to throw away your vanity, get over being shy about your boobs and losing your hair and just accept and love the person you are. I cherish my family even more...I'm also learning to minimize the "stressors" in my life, mainly toxic or negative people - in my case, it would be extended family.  Life is too short and too precious to waste time on people like that.
I'm finding that with so many doctor's appointments, you start to feel like your second home is the hospital!

Q: When I'm having a bad day, what do I do?
A: I like to lay my head on my husband's shoulders. He's my best friend and my biggest supporter; he gives me strength when I feel like I have none. There are some days that you just have to have a good ole fashion cry and let it all out. However, I do try to remember there is always someone else who has it rougher than me. To clear my mind, I like to go for walks with my pup, Riley...being outside in the sunshine and fresh air does wonders for the body and mind.

So next, I will go through 4 courses of TC chemotherapy - 3 weeks apart, 6 weeks of radiation and then hormone therapy. I am scared to death of chemo with all the short and long term side effects but I keep thinking about my kids and my future grandchildren and that gives me the strength and courage to stay strong and fight this disease!

Here's to Linda! She is amazing and certainly Fighting Pretty!!!

Fighting Pretty Tips from a Gorgeous Gal

After seeing a woman by the name of Alexis, only through Facebook, her energy shines through posts, pictures and her amazing smile. See below, isn't she gorgeous?

We asked her to share some of her tips on Fighting Pretty and here's what she had to say:

These days exercise keeps me going!
Being outside! (With good SPF and a Sunshirt (SPF 50 protection).

I make sure that any day I have the energy I am outside walking with my headphones on and I definitely look up new music on iTunes daily.  My FEEL GOOD songs are:

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: "Can't hold us"
"Can we go back, this is the moment | Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over | So we put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us!!!"

Avicii (feat. Nicky Romero) "I could be the one"
"When you need a way to beat the pressure down | When you need to find a way to breathe | I could be the one to make you feel that way | I could be the one to set you free"

Gym Class Heroes featuring Ryan Tedder "The Fighter"
Give em hell, turn their heads | Gonna live life 'til we're dead. | Give me scars, give me pain | Then they'll say to me, say to me, say to me...there's goes the fighter! | This one's a fighter!

One Republic "Feel Again" 
With you I can feel again! 
Regarding make-up, I just recently went out shopping wearing only a chemo cap, but lipstick, blush and mascara. I ran into a woman who knew my mom and within 15 minutes she asked if I would date her son.  No, literally, I was like: "Um Lady, I'm totally bald...and in chemotherapy" and her response was: "You're absolutely beautiful!"  It was a huge compliment! It's hard going out, because I think once people recognize a woman on chemo they're afraid to make eye contact.  The days I wear make-up, its really shocking to see that the general public isn't that afraid.  I believe other people realize I'm not scared of the changes my body is going through, and there is no reason for them to be afraid either.  

Thank you for empowering us as cancer survivors and showing us that cancer can't stop us, even when we are affected at such a young age.

--------------------------------------------

Check out these gorgeous pictures of Alexis and her dear friend Michele!
Our love goes out to you Alexis and you are ONE HOT CHICK!! xoxoxo

Oh Angie

You have to hand it to her. She made an incredibly hard decision to do something that would change her body forever.

After having a double mastectomy myself, I know it's a life-changing experience. You no longer look at your body and see what God gave you. You see something that has not only been altered, but manufactured. The breast implants, though natural-looking to the outside, are just that: implants. They pucker, they are hard, and you no longer have any feeling in your chest.

But the best part about it all - is you have done what you can to diminish the chances of getting breast cancer again. You will not hear the words "you have breast cancer." And that is something to be happy about.

Fighting Pretty by Pumping the Positivity

Written by Elizabeth Redmond

As Brad Paisley sings…."you are not supposed to say cancer in a song.”  Also, you are not supposed to tell an otherwise healthy woman, with no family history of Breast Cancer at the age of 32 that she does in fact have Stage 2 Breast Cancer.    Well, that is what happened on Monday, May 2, 2011 at about 9:30 pm as I sat in the doctor’s office with my husband, mother and father. 

However, the weird thing looking back is, I almost in way a felt relieved, I had an answer to the lump I found in my arm pit.  I like answers, maybe not this one, but that is part of life.  For those who know me, know that I am a very focused person…if there is a problem, here is the solution, let’s get it done!!  

My husband Brian, family, friends and I took on this awful diagnosis with a positive attitude.   We refused to let something like cancer keep us down!  I considered myself a healthy woman with cancer…and I would win this battle just like I had any other challenge I had taken on in my life.

After my official diagnosis, surgery was scheduled for June 28, 2011.  I needed to enjoy all the happiness that was taking place in my family which included my cousin Jake’s 8^th grade graduation, my cousin Sara’s high school graduation, my cousin Irene’s College Graduation.  Additionally, my brother Leo and I had graduations from Graduate school. The big family event was the wedding of my brother Ed and Victoria.  Life has too much to offer to let cancer rule the day!

Following surgery, I had 16 rounds of chemotherapy from August through December 2011.   This was 8 treatments and 2 months longer than initially planned.  A set back?  NO! This was my body telling me it needed a little more time to rid itself of cancer.  What is the difference of two more months of treatment vs. another 40, 50, maybe even 60 years of living?  I CAN DO THIS!

Through it all I continued to smile with my shiny bald head.  No matter how I looked, my wonderful husband, family and friends, never wavered in their support and love.  Once chemo was done, I had 28 treatments of radiation from February through March 2012. 

I always told the wonderful doctors, nurses and medical staff that helped me through my journey….you are all  the best people that I wish I did not have the pleasure of meeting.   However, I am forever grateful for their dedication and knowledge. Their willingness to listen, explain, encourage and most importantly smile really helped me in this battle! 

Once school was completed in June of 2012, I had my 2^nd stage breast reconstruction surgery. At this point I am seeing doctors just for check-ups!  Nothing beats the feeling of hearing…I will see you back in 3 months, 6 months or 1 year…that will never get old! This is something that I hope will continue the rest of my lifeJ  With the support of our family and friends, Brian and I were able to stay positive even through the darkest days.   Our motto, was PUMPING the POSITIVITY… we used this motto when we did the Susan G. Komen Walk in May 2012 and the Avon 2 Day, 39 mile walk in October 2012.  We will continue to use it throughout our lives. 

I continue to share my story with friends, family and even strangers if they ask.  Knowledge is power and if I can help just one woman or man detect breast cancer early then I have done my part! 

Hot in Heels

Had to go to the doctor today to get some things checked out - nothing to worry about - but was sitting in the Sloan Kettering office in the same exact room where I had to get ready for my first mammogram... at 26. 

It brought back memories today because before going in for my exam, the nurse asked for me to undress and put on a gown.

Remembering my time at 26 in this office, I remember it was the summer. I didn't have socks to wear and had to wear my shoes. Well, like I said, it was summer - so I wasn't wearing sneakers or even regular ballerina shoes. I was coming from work in advertising and was wearing patent leather 4" red ruby heels!  So picture me sitting in the waiting room with a gown and high red heels on! 

So I'm sitting in the dressing room waiting for the nurse, and this young guy - dorky cute - comes in and looks at me and gets all red in the face! He starting talking, but stuttering all over the place. He then had to ask me to take down my robe so he could put these stickers on my boobs -- he was so nervous he left the door open!

I said, "You think we can shut the door?" He's like "Oh, gosh yes, sorry!!" 

It made me feel pretty good... Even sexy for that matter - that he thought I was hot! Now that's Fighting Pretty!