-
1
[13] "Well, no one wants to hear that they have cancer. It was definitely the most shocking news of my life, but what I want you to know if you're going through your own journey, you probably already know, which is that the cancer community is the most warm, welcoming, helpful, educational group of people I've ever met in my life."
-
2
[14] "I have been absolutely inundated with messages of support, people's own experiences, and the messages that have truly meant the most to me are the people who have reached out to say, 'Thanks to you telling me about your experience, I've put the appointment that I've been putting off for years.'"
-
3
[15] "'I've finally made it, and I'm going to get my mammogram next week. I'm going to, I've encouraged my mom to get her mammogram.' Like, 'Those things mean so much to me because staying on top of my exams, I really do believe, saved my life.'"
-
5
[17] "My treatment is going well. As I mentioned, I had successful surgeries. I had my first lumpectomy in August. I had a margin revision in September.
-
6
[18] "That pathology came back that there was no more evidence of cancer, which I feel very good about. But there's still, they call it a journey for a reason, there's still a lot of steps in front of me."
-
7
[19] "I'm a little bit dreading radiation. I don't know exactly when I'll start that. I have a couple of appointments coming up next week."
-
8
[20] "I'm also not really looking forward to starting hormone therapy. I've heard mixed reviews about what those side effects are."
-
9
[21] "But, you know, you do what you have to do in order to live your best life, and I know that some of my best years are still in front of me, and I'm ready and willing to tackle them head-on."
-
10
[22] For anyone who's listening to this, or just personally as a young woman, it makes me think about, "Okay, at what point should I start doing what?" Remind us of those ages of screening, and then also the importance of if something feels off with you, if it's not just time for that annual exam, how you should go about that.
-
11
[23] "Yep, absolutely. Well, you have to be your best advocate. You have to speak up for yourself. Your wellness really does matter."
-
12
[24] "So, if you're feeling like something is just not right, go to the doctor. And if they brush you off or say, 'Oh, you know, it's probably nothing,' and you don't feel that resonates with you, keep pushing. Go to a different doctor."
-
13
[25] "Just like when people talk about therapists, you don't necessarily find your first great therapist right away. You have to keep working. Doctors are the same way."
-
14
[26] "So, if you're not getting a response that you want, keep pushing. It's really important to be an advocate for yourself. And also, I find it very heartening that the wellness study found that people actually want to be gently nudged by their friends and family members."
-
15
[27] "So, Topanga, definitely would have been that friend gently nudging you. Consider me that friend gently nudging you today."
-
16
[28] Danielle, thank you very much. Really important information, and we're so happy you're doing well. Thanks for joining us.