Early Detection of Breast Cancer: Why One Conversation Changed Everything

Today was quite possibly the hardest day in the world for me. Why? Because today was the day I had to tell Twin A about the cancer. While she was waiting for her flight in Florida, I texted her suggesting she call her grandmother. Now Twin A is nothing if not obliging, so while she called her grandmother, I called her boyfriend to find out what time they’d be home and to tell him I’d be stopping by. I didn’t tell him why, just that it was something I needed to talk to her about.

Twin B had already been informed since he was NOT on a cruise but home on Christmas break with me. And despite my joking about boys being oblivious to the world around them, he did pick up that something was wrong. We talked, there were some stress tears on both sides, but we were there for each other. He was then sworn to secrecy until I could inform Twin A.

The Hardest Conversation

Suffice to say that the conversation didn’t go well, nor did I expect it to. She was upset, I was upset, and honestly, it was one of the hardest conversations I’ve ever had. It’s a conversation no parent ever wants to have, and one I never want to repeat. Yet another reason why I’m so determined to go forward with the double mastectomy. If early detection of breast cancer gave me the chance to choose my treatment, I want to do everything I can to prevent this from ever happening again.

After the tears and processing, I told her about my plan. I also told her that I wanted to go on social media to talk about what happened. Not because I wanted sympathy (absolutely not), but because I wanted to make people aware. The only reason my cancer was caught early was because I kept up with my mammograms. And if sharing my story encouraged even one person to schedule theirs, it would be worth it.

If you missed the beginning of this journey, you can read the first post about how I found out I had breast cancer and my thoughts about possible treatment options. These posts are raw, real, and definitely not sugar-coated, but they show why early detection of breast cancer matters so much.

What I Said on Social Media

Here’s what I posted, straight from my heart:

“So a couple of weeks ago, I had my mammogram—I hate mammograms. I got a call a few days later saying they saw something, so I had to go in for an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that it wasn’t a cyst, so they sent me for a biopsy. I got the results, and they weren’t good. I apparently have breast cancer. I’m not posting this for sympathy, but to urge everyone: don’t skip your mammograms. Please. Early detection can be so important! I’m planning on fighting and beating this thing down, and I will—because they caught it so early!”

The response floored me. I received so much positive support, and while I’m not someone who craves attention, I am someone who is deeply grateful for encouragement. More importantly, several people told me they scheduled their own mammograms after reading my post. That alone made sharing worth it.

Why Early Detection of Breast Cancer Matters

Here’s the truth: early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Because I had my mammogram, they caught it before it had a chance to spread further. That gave me options. Options for surgery, options for reconstruction, options to avoid harsher treatments (fingers crossed). Without that early detection, this story might look very different.

If you want the medical side of things, the CDC explains breast cancer screening in detail, and the American Cancer Society shares why early detection is critical. Both sites have excellent resources about mammograms, ultrasounds, and other screenings.

Please Get Your Mammogram

I’ll end this the way I ended my social media post: please, for the love of all that is holy, get your mammogram. I know they’re uncomfortable. I know they’re awkward. And I know it’s easy to put them off. But early detection of breast cancer made all the difference for me. It can make the difference for you—or someone you love—too.