I'm writing a speech for Making Strides, any ideas??

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Heatherbelle
Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Morning all!
I'm 5 days post my LAST chemo, other than upset stomach off & on all night last night I'm feeling fairly well. I have a few things I'd like you to share your input on, if you would be so kind :)
The first is - this Saturday I have a team together for our local Making Strides walk. The ACS asked if I would give an approx. 4 minute speech before the walk, which I said of course I will. I'm not really nervous or super shy about it -my family will be on stage with me, my team will be there supporting me. I'm going to get my speech, or at least an outline of it, written out today. Im asking for your input in any specific points you think I should have in it. Of course, my opening will be thank you's to all the walkers, acknowledging the ACS, and basically my "thank you's". I have 2 main points that I'm wanting to get across - from my point of view of being diagnosed in my 30's - the importance of self exams and being an advocate for your own health (after my family Dr completely dismissed my lump & wanted to "wait and see"), and my 2nd point is that we all get regular mammograms, because my mom's regular mammogram has saved her life- she was diagnosed 2 months after me after her yearly mammo showed changes from the previous year that ended up being a very tiny (less than half a centimeter) but very aggressive IDC with 1 node involved.
I am doing the walk for my mom, my daughters, and all of my sisters in pink. ALL of you. I even had a big button made for myself that says "I'm walking for my Sisters in Pink" to wear along with the ones that say "I'm walking for my mom" and "I'm walking for Camryn & Lia". So, if there are any points that you think I should make, or things in specific you think I should include in my speech, please let me know! I'm looking forward to hearing all of your input & will share my outline & speech with you once I get it written!
*Hugs Love & Strength*
Heather

Comments

  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #2
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    Heather - THANK YOU!!
    Just a quick thank you. I also took everyone with me last weekend for my Making Strides. The only thing I think may be beneficial to anyone listening to your speech would be to let them know that this CSN website is available to them. I always talk about my sisters here and how helpful this site is and many people have no idea it's available to them. Knowledge is power and we can sure provide some knowledge with our sisters in pink. Good luck on your speech, I know you will be awesome!!
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    #3
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    MyTurnNow said:

    Heather - THANK YOU!!
    Just a quick thank you. I also took everyone with me last weekend for my Making Strides. The only thing I think may be beneficial to anyone listening to your speech would be to let them know that this CSN website is available to them. I always talk about my sisters here and how helpful this site is and many people have no idea it's available to them. Knowledge is power and we can sure provide some knowledge with our sisters in pink. Good luck on your speech, I know you will be awesome!!

    I Agree
    Heather, I agree with My Turn.....this website has been a godsend for me, and many others who have found support and solace here. I only wish I had found it before I started treatment, as some of my apprehension would have been prevented had I had the option to "ask those who have been there". You are doing a wonderful thing by speaking at this function, and I will be there with you in spirit. Hugs, Judy
  • Annette 11
    Annette 11 Member Posts: 380
    #4
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    my thoughts
    Heather,
    Good Luck, I know you will be outstanding. I wish I could be there.
    One point I want to make. Sometimes Mammograms miss the cancer. My PCP's wife had Invasive Ductal carcinoma (same as Mine)and it did not show up on her mammogram. She discovered it a few months later herself. I have heard this many times, I believe some of our sisters in pink stated that also. Another reason to do self exams.
    A big Thank you to you Heather and we'll all be thinking of you that day.

    Hugs :)
    Annette
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
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    MyTurnNow said:

    Heather - THANK YOU!!
    Just a quick thank you. I also took everyone with me last weekend for my Making Strides. The only thing I think may be beneficial to anyone listening to your speech would be to let them know that this CSN website is available to them. I always talk about my sisters here and how helpful this site is and many people have no idea it's available to them. Knowledge is power and we can sure provide some knowledge with our sisters in pink. Good luck on your speech, I know you will be awesome!!

    I agree....
    On my way to the airport in Dallas, I chatted with a fellow passenger whose wife is a BC survivor...still at that stage where he got choaked up when he said it...

    He had no idea about this site...wrote it down. His wife is doing alot a patient partnering, just like me, so one comment (like you can make, too) will reach many, many people...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #6
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    Thanks for bringing all of
    Thanks for bringing all of us along with you. It's such an honor to be able to speak at the walk. I think you are right on target in what you want to say, I know you'll be great!


    Hugs to you,

    Linda
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #7
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Thanks for bringing all of
    Thanks for bringing all of us along with you. It's such an honor to be able to speak at the walk. I think you are right on target in what you want to say, I know you'll be great!


    Hugs to you,

    Linda

    My cancer did not show up on
    My cancer did not show up on mammo, it was lobular. I am a proponet of MRI once a year with mammo 6 MONTHS LATER. I am confident Heather you will speak for us, you are a strong, smart girl. Tell women to be strong advocates for themselves. To find knowledge and speak up it could save their lives!
  • heidijez
    heidijez Member Posts: 441
    #8
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    while mammograms are important, not every cancer shows up there
    not to diminish the importance of mammograms, but an important message is that women should pay attention to their bodies - i have inflammatory breast cancer, which is very aggressive and does not show on a mammogram. we have to be our own advocates - my primary physician told me i had an ingrown hair or a cyst. i KNEW it was something else. i pushed and threw tantrums to get my appointments for mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy!

    unfortunately, those of us who have been on this site for a while have learned so much about breast cancer - i knew nothing when i was thrown into chemo 15 days after seeing my primary physician and his pronouncement that it was nothing. so yes, please tell everyone about this site - i know i do. i have told the doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, and technicians at my cancer center about this website - what a wonderful place this is for us!

    good luck to you, i know you will do a great job!
  • webbwife50
    webbwife50 Member Posts: 394
    #9
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    Very cool!
    It's like we all get to go up on stage with you!! You go girl! Maybe a little caregiver recognition would fit, it's so easy to forget them in our zeal for a cure. But where would we be without them.

    God bless you, and good job!!
    Alison
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #10
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    THANK YOU for your input!!
    Thanks for all your comments & suggestions, you've given me some great points! I'm hoping to get started on an outline when we get the girls to bed tonight!
    *hugs*
    Heather
  • carriesoup
    carriesoup Member Posts: 144
    #11
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    it happens to young people too!!
    definitely stress the importance of regular self-exams. especially for young people! i found my lump myself. it does happen. i know i never thought it would happen to me at such a young age. (you either, i'm sure!) thank god my gyno, didn't want to "wait and see"! he sent me for the mammo and ultrasound and then to the surgeon.

    wish i could be there!!! i know you'll rock the crowd! lol.

    *hugs, love and positivity*

    carrie :)
  • Marsha Mulvey
    Marsha Mulvey Member Posts: 597 Member
    #12
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    carriesoup said:

    it happens to young people too!!
    definitely stress the importance of regular self-exams. especially for young people! i found my lump myself. it does happen. i know i never thought it would happen to me at such a young age. (you either, i'm sure!) thank god my gyno, didn't want to "wait and see"! he sent me for the mammo and ultrasound and then to the surgeon.

    wish i could be there!!! i know you'll rock the crowd! lol.

    *hugs, love and positivity*

    carrie :)

    4 minutes
    Wow, I couldn't possibly say everything in four minutes! There are so many points to be made.

    Breast cancer has no bounds - male or female, young or old, race or religion, no one is off bounds.

    Bright spot - survival numbers are improving, BUT...
    Downside - many still are not being cured, just constantly fighting to manage the disease.

    Funding is needed to help with costs for diagnostics and treatment.

    FUNDING for RESEARCH is still needed so that some day a "cure" might be found, so that our daughters and granddaughters might never have to face this.

    AND, wouldn't it be wonderful if someday vaccines could be discovered to stop all cancers, one at a
    time. (They said it couldn't be done with polio! - THEY WERE WRONG!)

    FINALLY, the question, "What would the world be like without breast cancer?"

    Good luck and best wishes. I'm certain you will represent us well.
    Marsha
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    #13
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    Hi Heather
    I never did self exams, if I did I would have felt the lump before it got to 4 cm. The swelling under my arm is what alerted me. So feel under the arm also. Good luck. You'll have to post your speech for us.
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #14
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    Annette 11 said:

    my thoughts
    Heather,
    Good Luck, I know you will be outstanding. I wish I could be there.
    One point I want to make. Sometimes Mammograms miss the cancer. My PCP's wife had Invasive Ductal carcinoma (same as Mine)and it did not show up on her mammogram. She discovered it a few months later herself. I have heard this many times, I believe some of our sisters in pink stated that also. Another reason to do self exams.
    A big Thank you to you Heather and we'll all be thinking of you that day.

    Hugs :)
    Annette

    Thank you Heather! Like the
    Thank you Heather! Like the others said, you will be amazing!


    Sue :)
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #15
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    Saw & Heard Your Speech On Facebook
    To those of you who are not on Facebook, Heather was taped giving her speech and it was posted. She was wonderful. All of us would be very proud of her.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #16
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    Different Ballgame said:

    Saw & Heard Your Speech On Facebook
    To those of you who are not on Facebook, Heather was taped giving her speech and it was posted. She was wonderful. All of us would be very proud of her.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle

    I want to thank you too
    I want to thank you too Heather! I am sure if I could hear your speech, I would be amazed too!


    Hugs, Debby

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