Hey My name is Nickie and I'm from Belgium.
I first got confronted with Breastcancer in 1992 when my mom first got it. She had a very big lump in her left breast and needed a surgery. They removed her breast and she got a very severe chemotherapy which was very hard on all of us. In 1995 she got confronted with breastcancer agian and this time it was the right breast. The lump was not that big and the doctor only wanted to remove it but my mm choose to remove the entire breast because she was afraid the cancer would spread anyway. This time she didn't need any chemo but had to take some kind of medicine every day.
She has been cancer free for six years and we all thought she was cured but then in 2001 the doctor again found something. They did a scan and bloodtest and noticed her lung was affected. This time my mom lost every will to fight and needless to say it was a very hard time on us. In the beginning of 2002 her condition got worse and finally MArch 2002 we had to let her go. All the time she was sick I was there to take care of her and I can tell you this is the hardest thing I ever had to do in my entire life but I would do it again when necessary.
I really hope they will find a cure some day to fight this dreadful desease.
Love & peace
Nickie
 

Yay, Samantha! Thanks for carrying on this promotion!

peace & passion,

~ Alessia Brio, editor
Coming Together
 

12 yrs ago I had a friend dx'd with breast cancer. She was only around 30. Luckily it was caught early enough that treatment has enabled her to be cancer free ever since. I myself had a scare 10yrs ago at the age of 28. Luckily it was removed and benign. I feel there to needs to be more education on not just breast cancer, but lumps and breast problems in general. When I found my lump I did not know there were other types of lumps to be found.
 

In March '08 I'll be a 10 year survivor.
 

This is my comment for the breast cancer awareness. Cancer, not just breast is rampant in my family. My paternal grandmother has had both breasts removed. Other female family members have had cervical cancer and my aunt died of a cancer in the brain. I applaud your method of passing on the news and awareness....
 

My name is Vickie LoMonaco and I am a Stage IV breast cancer patient. That means that, for me, this disease is no longer curable and it will, sooner or later, claim my life.

I applaud you and any others who join the fight against breast cancer.
 

I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. God Bless.
 

Whoo hoo!!! How fantastic you are joining in - this is wonderful - to see so many come together for this.

This is excellent!

Tammi
 

One of my best friends is a 10 year breast cancer survivor.
I wish I could personally tell every woman how important mammograms and monthly self exams are.
 

Cancer, breast and otherwise, has touched my life in many ways. My maternal grandmother passed away from it in 1985, 2 weeks before my high school graduation. My mother recently had a double mastectomy due to breast cancer. They caught it early enough that she's now cancer free. And two very good friends are currently survivors of breast cancer.

As for other types of cancer, My paternal grandmother had a hysterectomy due to uterine cancer, and my maternal grandfather died of lung cancer 10 years ago.

I applaud you for what you're doing and fully support you in your endeavor. I'll be forwarding this to all my friends so they can post to to help a good cause.

Thanks
Angi
 

Hiya Samantha :-)

Thank you for joining the challenge Alessia threw down - it's actually really nice to see so many coming together. Well, that says it all doesn't it: Coming Together!

Hugs.

Tilly
 

As a nurse on an oncology unit I have had many patients with breast cancer. I actually found a lump that turned out to be cancer on a 95 year old when trying to fix her heart monitor. It was the worst feeling, I felt like I had found it on myself. It gave me mixed feelings also due to her age. I also lost my very best friend at the age of 37 from breast cancer 5 years ago, I still miss her very much! Cancer is such a horrible disease which we MUST find a cure for! Thanks for your commitment.
 

My best friend died of breast cancer last year. It metastasized to her bones. She was only thirty-six. Thank you for doing this.

Selena
 

Dear Samantha,
A very dear friend of mine is currently recieving heavy chemo treatment. Thank you for caring and for finding a unique way to help.
Nancy
 

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2005, she was told that she needed to have a mastectomy (I'm not sure if that's the right term) but she got a second opinion and went for the lumpectomy. She got a PET scan done and was told that it was probably too late. It looked like the cancer had spread to her lungs. The doctors biopsied the spots on her lungs and found that they were just masses of white blood cells (I forget what its called but the doctors don't know what causes it but its not cancer). Then at the end of 2006 (after her hair started to grow back) she finally got the chance to go to Hawaii (she's a huge Elvis fan), to get married to my stepfather and the love of her life. She wore an elaborate pearl necklace and a modest wedding dress to cover up her surgery scars. She was the most beautiful bride I have ever seen (of course I know I'm biased). She made it through so many set backs and so much bad news (and she still can't stand the smell of lime popsicles, they remind her of the nauseousness of chemo) and she never really gave up, she told me that having her granddaughter and I there really helped boost her moral, she is so strong, I can only hope that I can be as strong as her. Breast cancer, colon cancer, skin Cancer and Crohn's disease all run in my family and my brother and I already have Crohn's disease.
 

9 year survivor!