I have breast cancer, and I’m 31.
Breast cancer patient Sarah Anderson, 31, describes the support offered by the Sea of Pink as “very, very heartwarming”.
The latest hurdle Sarah will confront in her breast cancer journey is her bilateral mastectomy surgery, booked in for February. The prospect of joining the International Women’s Day Fun Run serves as a timely morale boost for Sarah, and many patients like her.
Sarah, a professional young woman, is determined to lend her inner strength and voice to advocacy for both breast cancer research and awareness. The multi-generational faces within the Sea of Pink are a poignant reminder that breast cancer affects women of all ages and demographics–with 1 in 7 women diagnosed within their lifetime.
“People have told me that they never thought someone as young as me would get breast cancer, that it’s an “old ladies’” disease, but I’m living proof that anyone can be diagnosed,” Sarah said.
“It just pays to be vigilant. Listen to your body. We know what our breasts look like and feel like. If you notice any change, the slightest of change, please act on it because that early action is what can save a lot of distress and trauma down the track. You want to catch it early.
"My life-changing journey began when I noticed changes in my right breast–it was inflamed and felt slightly lumpy and painful. I was quickly diagnosed with stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer. As it is an aggressive cancer with a high likelihood of recurrence, I require 12 months of stringent treatment involving chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, radiation, plus years of hormone therapy down the track.
“I’m going through this journey of treatment right now. It’s pretty tough at times, both physically and mentally.”
The research advances and level of personalised treatment options available for each individual woman has proven to be an eye-opener for Sarah since her initial diagnosis.
And it has inspired her to selflessly lend her voice, and time, to increase awareness that breast cancer isn’t just an older woman’s disease and that Fun Run’s efforts to bolster both research and early detection truly are game changers.
“Research, and what they have found out about breast cancer and the way it’s treated has just come so far,” Sarah shares.
