Me in one of my many wigs!

Irene

Irene & Raquel--Survivor Sisters

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month has very special meaning to me and my family.On October 2, 2006 I began my journey with breast cancer at the age of 34. That is the day I had my double mastectomy. But this wasn't my family's first encounter with this horrible disease.

9 months earlier in January of 2006 my younger sister Raquel was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at the young age of 30. She also underwent a double mastectomy and months of chemotherapy. She lives in Sacramento so my parents and I traveled up there often to care for her. It was a rough road for all of us and just as she finished up with her last round of chemo I discovered a lump in my own breast. You see, cancer runs in our family. We have had 4 aunts pass away from either breast or ovarian cancer. We also have 5 first cousins who have all had breast cancer. So we we're very careful about doing breast exams on ourselves each month. For many years my sister and I had been asking our doctors to send us to have a mammogram but we we're always told that we we're too young to worry about getting breast cancer. Women don't usually start getting mammograms until the age of 40. We would tell them of our family history but they would say that since our mother did not have breast cancer that we did not need to worry. Boy we're they wrong!

So I had my mastectomy and went through 7 horrible months of chemotherapy. My sister and I went wig shopping together! Never did we imagine that in our lifetime that we would be bald and breastless at the same time! I had 7 surgeries but I'm still not done yet. I found out that I am BRCA2 which means that I carry a cancer gene. I will need to have my ovaries removed before I turn 40 to lessen my chance of getting ovarian cancer since I am at a higher risk of getting it.

We are both now in full remission. We want to let other young women know that if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer you must insist that your doctors send you for a mammogram, ultrasound or MRI. Don't let them tell you that you are too young. My sister and I both discovered our own lumps. Early detection saves lives and we are living proof of that!

So please wear a pink ribbon this month to show your support for breast cancer awareness. Too many families have lost loved ones to this disease.

Port Hueneme resident Irene de la Torre Hernandez has chronicled her journey online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hiRFAamvGQ