Celebrating Oaks Day 2024 has taken on a new meaning for Rachel Trice, 34, of Madison, Indiana. Rachel will be among the 150 breast and ovarian cancer survivors to walk in the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade moments before the 150th running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks at historic Churchill Downs on Friday, May 3. Rewind…
Sara Scott received upsetting news. Her niece had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At 40 years old and after her first mammogram, Virginia Doll, a fashion designer in New York City, had indications of breast cancer. “I was devastated by the news and thought this can’t be happening,” Sara said. “To be 40 years old…
All breasts are unique – from their shape and size to their density. Breasts are made of fat, fibrous tissue (strands of collagen protein that hold fat, connective tissue and blood vessels in place) and glandular tissue (the part of the breast that makes milk). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),…
Knowing how to check for breast cancer with a self-exam can be an effective way to be aware of any changes in your breasts, but isn’t a replacement for an annual screening mammogram or a clinical breast exam. Breast self-awareness is a way to improve overall breast health and make it more likely you will…
Finding a lump in her breast was something Heather Kleisner didn’t have time for in her busy life. But when she did, the meetings, conference calls and event planning on her calendar quickly changed to doctor appointments, surgery and a treatment plan. Heather had experienced this once before. A small lump discovered in 2015 during…
Finding a lump in your breast can be scary, and it’s easy to think of the worst-case scenario: cancer. However, the American Cancer Society notes that breast lumps are relatively common, and most are not cancerous. Regardless, do not hesitate to call your health care provider if you notice something is off. A lump may…
Four years ago, Sara Westerman was diagnosed with breast cancer. She chose treatment that included a double mastectomy with reconstruction. While preparing for surgery, Sara discovered pillows designed for patients who have this surgery. Sara’s mom, Betty, is a retired home economics teacher and promptly created a version of the pillow for her daughter’s recovery….
Rhonda Cash calls herself a breast cancer “thriver.” She practices self-care by giving back to her community and shares comforting gifts with cancer patients going through treatment. “I want other cancer patients to be as blessed as I am. I want them to have that little something special that they can use more than once,”…
At Norton Healthcare, we believe annual mammograms are one of the most important forms of self-care a woman can practice. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual reminder to do a self-check for signs and symptoms, schedule a mammogram and keep in mind those who are fighting breast cancer or have lost their lives…
Laura Chamberlin first noticed a lump in her breast when she was a graduate student living in Seattle, Washington. She mentioned it to her primary care doctor, who told her not to worry. “She said, ‘You’re young. You just have dense tissue,’” Laura recalled. After moving to Louisville a year later to work as an…
In 2017, Kimberley Marek received a call after her mammogram, letting her know that something had come back abnormal. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Since she has dense breast tissue, she had experienced this call before, but the follow-up had always produced a normal result. Not this time. This time it was…
Swollen lymph nodes and the COVID-19 vaccine have been an issue for many, but the harmless side effect is causing alarm as some mistake the temporary underarm lump for a tumor. Swollen lymph nodes are a normal vaccine side effect, as the body produces antibodies against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Lymph nodes are a…