I have always done self exams....faithfully get my mammograms yearly. This past March I had a mammogram scheduled for Friday...Friday morning I was showering and did another exam and found a lump in my right breast. Near the sternum...close to the chest wall. I have a history of cysts so I wasn't too worried. I mentioned it to them when I was getting the mammogram. Because of the location of the lump, they had a difficult time getting shots of it. Several mammograms and a compression mammogram. They did a biopsy on the spot. Two days later came the dreaded call....You have breast cancer. Me? No way...got to be a mistake. Triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. No history of cancer in my family. They also did the genetic tests for the gene...negative. Within minutes of that call I had planned my funeral, decided what I would tell my kids and grandchildren....what my husband of 43 years needed to do...all of that. Then another second later...I said...NO WAY!! I refuse to let this do me in, I am a tough redhead, I will fight harder than I ever have in my life. My lymph nodes were clear...another lump in my left breast was a cyst. I had 4 months of chemo, a lumpectomy and 30 rounds of radiation. Some surgical complications, but not too bad. The surrounding tissue tested all negative for any cancer cells. I feel blessed beyond measure. My kids, grandkids, and family were my strength. My hair is growing back, but I lost my natural red...a small price to pay for my life. Will my cancer come back? Only God knows that...but I have faith and the love of so many people to help me. Best advice I can give.....check yourself, know your own body, always be aware, it saved me.

Diane Baker
Ringgold, GA