Lo and behold it’s October, which can only mean one thing – Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Wait. Don’t run off just yet.

I know for many of you October means so much more than this. It is after all, pumpkin spice season for some, fantasy football time for others and kick off to the holidays for so many more. Oh, and if we get real lucky, temps will finally come down to a bearable degree and maybe we can even add a layer to our daily outfit choice.

Yet amidst all of this, I still can’t help but feel drawn to sharing a little info and insight to the designated month mentioned above.

I, too, fall into the breast cancer category and for this issue, I’d like to take some time to remind each and every one of you who either has breasts or loves someone with breasts of the importance of self-check, self-check, self-check. Yes, yes, mammograms are also important, however I am here to tell you had I not self-checked it’s highly likely I would not still be “musing” in this space.

Well, I mean, who are we kidding, even with a self-check it removed me from this space for over a year. That’s some serious stuff.

So, for those new to this space or in need of a reminder, here’s a quick recap of how we landed here. You, being the reader, reading the “musings” of a former marathon runner, yoga teaching journalist who now lives with Stage 4 Chronic Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Complete transparency, in 2020 I had missed my mammogram the previous year. Single mom juggling a relationship and two kids, ages 15 and 12 at the time. My life was at a high and all seemed to be going as I had hoped and dreamed since divorcing their father eight years prior.

As luck (and the good Lord) would have it however, in March of 2020 I was woken by a small mass slightly in the underarm area of my right breast. A self-check at the discovery of this prompted a call to my ob-gyn.

It was painful and hard as a BB. Important to note here, that many had told me if it was painful, it was likely nothing. “Breast cancer typically isn’t painful,” I was told by a fellow survivor. Boy was that wrong and continued to be wrong each time the disease has returned.

My initial diagnosis, Stage 3, Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Prior to this diagnosis I only knew the words “breast cancer,” I had no idea there were so many types and would soon learn that was important. Triple Negative Breast Cancer is an aggressive invasive form, which tends to recur early (between one and three years) after diagnosis.

Under the guidance of my local medical team in 2020, I did all the things, multiple types of chemotherapy, radiation treatment, lumpectomy, lymph node removal and a bi-lateral mastectomy with reconstruction. That was the first year and a half.

By fall of 2021, we learned I was indeed in line with the statistics, and it had returned. The good news was it remained in the right side and yes, once again I found it by self-check. As predicted at initial diagnosis, it was aggressive.

We did, what I now recommend to anyone and everyone who hears those words, we left the Valley for a second opinion and found ourselves at USCF Breast Cancer Oncology.

Please keep in mind, I am a patient, not a doctor and this is my personal opinion. Any patient faced with a late stage or aggressive form of cancer I encourage to take the time to venture out of the 209. At minimum for peace of mind that your current doctor has the best treatment plan or in my case you’ll find a doctor not overwhelmed by your case.

The oncologist I had at the time, was uncertain as to what they would do next. Gratefully UCSF, while a bit confused by the order in which my previous year had gone, felt they could get on top of this.

Four years later, I still believe in this team.

Since fall of 2021, we have faced a total of one initial diagnosis and I am now on my third recurrence. In June of 2024, we learned it had progressed to Stage 4 and was deemed Chronic by the experts. What this means is ongoing IV chemotherapy is our only insurance of it not returning. That’s what aggressive looks like in this case.

So why share?

I share because this is about more than telling my story. Quite honestly both myself and my children would be quite fine never telling this story (and the many details) again. For us however it’s not that simple.

From the early days of hearing those dreaded words in April 2020, we knew there was reason and purpose. It’s God’s plan after all. And while some may not believe this, we believe it’s the primary reason I’ve been tapped with this responsibility.

If my story and the 45 minutes it takes to pen this helps one family avoid this long windy path we’ve been on; it’s worth it.

If you’re a woman, self-check, self-check, self-check and schedule your mammogram. If you love a woman, enter into this uncomfortable conversation – it matters. Use this column as your excuse. Show you care.

As we travel through October we’ll see pink ribbon reminders, news stories and much more reminding us of “the month.” Do more than being an observer, be proactive in your life and the lives of those you love. It matters.

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.