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Breast cancer affects women of all ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Breast Preservation Foundation believes that all women with breast cancer deserve the opportunity to spare their breasts. We thank these courageous women for sharing their personal stories so that others can be informed and inspired.
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After multiple misdiagnoses and being told repeatedly she was too young to have breast cancer, Stefanie was diagnosed with aggressive, life-threatening, stage 4 metastatic cancer in her right breast in November 2005. She was given one year to live. She was 30 years old.
Within three weeks of her diagnosis, she started chemotherapy. Her lump measured over 8 centimeters. After chemo she had surgery to remove the cancer. But her margins were not clear, so another surgery followed. She was left with only skin and a nipple on the right side of her chest. Her breast surgeon had scraped all the way down to the chest wall removing all the breast tissue possible but sparing the skin. Despite the advanced stage of her cancer, she got to keep the outside of her breast because she had a skin-sparing mastectomy. A plastic surgeon was later able to reconstruct her breast, restoring her shape, her femininity and her sexuality.
For more of Stefanie’s story, visit www.myspace.com/cancerwarrior
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If you or someone you know would like to contribute a personal story regarding having the skin-sparing mastectomy, not being offered the skin-sparing mastectomy, or receiving a radical mastectomy, please contact Hila Parks, Director of Operations for the Breast Preservation Foundation, at hila@breastpreservation.org or call 877-SPARE-01. We welcome your participation and thank you for your support. It is important that newly diagnosed women have access to other survivors’ experiences.
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