Previvors and Survivors

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posted on May 16, 2013 at 12:57 pm

Hello everyone and welcome to our BRCA website for previvors and survivors. On May 23, 2008 previvorsandsurvivors.com was born  and October 2010 previvorsandsurvivors.com, Inc. a Not for Profit group was created.

We are a 501 (c) (3) ALL VOLUNTEER GROUP where no one here gets paid or gets compensated in any way for their services.

The mission of our group is to provide the support, skills and resources to all women in relation to the BRCA gene and  hereditary  breast and ovarian cancer. It’s a place where ordinary people help ordinary people. The difference between our project and the many others out there is that we are supporting women who have to come to terms with a very unique agonizing decision, do I have a double mastectomy and  oophorectomy without a definitive cancer diagnosis?

“The term “PREVIVOR” was coined by FORCE in 2000, and they have consented to the use of “PREVIVOR” on this website.” Previvor as we use it, refers to a person who does not have cancer, but who has tested positive for the BRCA gene mutation- which puts them at an incredibly high risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer.   This means they have up to an 87% chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime and a 44% chance of developing ovarian cancer. Some people have found out that they have the BRCA gene mutation only after they have already developed breast/ovarian cancer-therefore a SURVIVOR. We now have to worry about issues involving passing down this mutation to our families.

We are an International support group and provide a site for men and women who are involved with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, whether they are current fighters, survivors, or previvors. The site is set up to help these people get information and hear other people’s stories that have been affected by this.

Our  mission is to help women and their families here in our community. Since we are a small group, at this time we can only help our neighbors here on Long Island with our “services.” We provide hairdressers to women post mastectomy as well as cooked meals and carpools to doctor’s appointments to help ease the burden and stress for the patients and their families at this difficult time.

What can you do? Participate in the forum, shop for a family, carpool children, donate meals, get gift certificates for salons, entertainment, dining, etc.. These little things mean a lot to a family going through a difficult time. Let’s stay educated about nutrition, yoga, exercise…you think of it—let’s make it happen.

We need to involve our communities… educate and make people aware and sensitive to our cause. Please show your support for all the women in your life – your mothers, sisters, daughters and friends and donate today.

If any of you would like to see a special forum, or if you hear of anything important to share, just let us know. This site is for YOU.  We will continue to get you the most factual and current information that is out there, where we can all stay informed, and make the best decisions about our health, and try to deliver it in a simple and easy to understand way. We welcome all feedback and any recommendations. IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE NAVIGATING THE SITE…JUST EMAIL US.  LOST PASSWORD? EMAIL US.  If you are a previvor or survivor, please feel free to tell your story in the forum, start a discussion, ask a question, or send an email. If you have an event that you would like to publish, just let us know. If you belong to a support group–please list it for new members -also in your home state.  We would like a woman or her family to be able to find support in her own community. It’s easy, just register then after you get your password, go to the forum, click on your home state and hit-add a new topic

The best part of this site is that you may remain anonymous. All you have to do is let us know you’d like to participate and we will post anonymously for you. We believe that is why this site has become so popular so fast. You don’t have to join to participate, although if we have your email address we can send you regular private updates.

Be well you all.
Wishing you all continued good health. Thanks for your support.

 

Answering your most BRCA embarrassing questions…

posted on at 12:56 pm

Now that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have become the new spokespersons for the BRCA gene, I would imagine there are many more unanswered questions than ever before. I do not have breast cancer nor the BRCA gene, but I am writing because I am involved with an amazing group of women who do have this gene and felt with their collective experiences and unending research, would start a group (now 5 years) to answer your questions. previvorsandsurvivors.com was started by one of my closest friends, Tobey, who wanted nothing more than to help women who have had to make the biggest decisions of their lives.

Angelina has done wonders by “coming out” with her decision to surgically remove her breasts. But, many women will say that money was no object, she is already beautiful, she has children, she is married.  All true and not such an easy decision for most women coping with this scary decision.  Suppose you are in your 20′s or 30′s, 40′ and unmarried? Suppose you haven’t had children? How will this affect your body image for you and your partner or someone new in your life? How do you go immediately into menopause?

There are so many questions and  I have seen my friend & her group answer every question with kindness and knowledge.  It is wonderful that there is a group available for women to go to and not to feel embarrassed by these questions.

You can see from this how much help I have seen previvorsandsurvivors.com give from their hearts.  I have nothing but respect for them and what they are doing .  If you or someone you know  needs help with making this decision or after making this decision, please contact Tobey & previvorsandsurvivors.com They are amazing!!

Nancy Friedman

Dear Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt…

posted on May 14, 2013 at 9:30 pm


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Thank you for what you did today for the BRCA PREVIVOR community. When one is a symbol of beauty inside and out as well as a celebrity telling the world that you are no less a woman it is HUGE.  You are an inspiration to the world and certainly people who are facing these difficult decisions. Wishing you and your family a lifetime of joy and happiness together. Be well.

Myriad Genetics Says BRCA Testing Receives Designation Under Affordable Care Act

posted on March 8, 2013 at 5:49 pm

March 6, 2013

BRCA testing is now clarified as a preventive service under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. This clarification will take effect immediately for all non-grandfathered private insurance plans and will allow for BRACAnalysis® and BART™ testing to be completed as a “preventive service” with no patient cost sharing (including copays, deductibles, and coinsurance) when a patient is determined to be high risk by their healthcare provider because they have a “qualifying” family history.

The Annie Appleseed Project is having a conference

posted on December 15, 2012 at 2:25 pm
I have been asked to share this with our group.
A worthwhile organization if you can attend. Check it out!
Feb 28-March 2, 2013 Evidence-based Complementary & Alternative Cancer Therapies conference.  Material for all of your constituents and others.
http://xrl.us/bndro2 Come on down!  Some scholarships available.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX3NEZjVH0o&feature=g-crec-f
Information, education, advocacy and awareness
on complementary, alternative, natural cancer therapies
Make more fully informed treatment decisions
The information provided is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any health condition and is not a replacement for treatment by a healthcare provider.

PLEASE HELP THIS STUDENT HELP US

posted on December 13, 2012 at 11:47 am

I received this email & it is verified true. Please take 15 minutes out of your day & let’s help this student. Please share!

Follow this link: DEADLINE DEC. 21 https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BreastCancerAndStress

Dear Previvors and Survivors,

My name is Satoko Mii and I am a junior at Yorktown High School in Westchester, NY.   I participate in a Science Research Program.(www.yhsresearch.org) where my goal is to work on a research that will make a difference in saving lives.

Influenced by my mother’s breast cancer experience, I chose to study “The Effect of Psychological Stress on the Development of Breast Cancer”.   My father had a near death car accident 7 years prior to my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.  I was two years old and we had no relatives in the U.S.  I have always wondered if this stressful event has had any effect on the development of my mother’s cancer after learning that most breast cancers develop over a number of years.  If indeed correlations between psychological stress and breast cancer is found, it may be an important step to alert health care professionals of this as well as potentially making stress management education a part of routine physical examination.

There have been limited studies on this topic with no conclusive results.  In fact, very few studies have approached this topic from a “grass root” level.  Therefore, with your cooperation, I would like to move this study to the next level by reaching out to as many people as possible that would be interested and willing to participate in a short, online, anonymous survey.  With enough participation, I will be able to present my findings at different scientific fairs & symposiums (e.g. Intel) where many judges are influential medical professionals and research scientists.

I would appreciate if you could have my survey be known to your group members via Facebook/Twitter and/or by forwarding my email.  I have also attached a flyer with a QR code if you have an appropriate place to put up.

Here is the link to my survey.    (by Dec. 21st)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BreastCancerAndStress

It should take about 15-20min.  I would be happy to share my results with those who may be interested.  Please write “Send survey results to…” in the subject and include your email address.

For any questions about the survey or the science research program, please contact me at breastcancerandstressstudy@gmail.com or my teacher, Mr. Michael Blueglass at yorktownhusker@aol.com

Thank you very much,

Sincerely,

Satoko Mii

CNN report: Tough choices in fight against breast cancer gene

posted on October 27, 2012 at 1:36 pm
THANK YOU CNN & reporter Jamescia Thomas for taking the time to report on people at different stages of finding out and dealing with the BRCA positive gene. Awareness and stories like this help ease the way for people dealing with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer decisions.

By Jamescia Thomas, Special to CNN
updated 11:49 AM EDT, Sat October 27, 2012

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/26/health/brca-gene-ireporters/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
I quote the entire article here with Jamescia Thomas’ permission…

(CNN)When Erin Molenhouse went in for a physical this year, a nurse practitioner urged her to get tested for the BRCA gene mutation. It was a difficult moment for the 37-year-old mother.

“Why would I want to know that I am going to get cancer?” she remembers thinking. Her mother died of the disease when Molenhouse was 22.

Her nurse explained there were benefits to knowing, even if the test came back positive. Molenhouse learned that having the mutation didn’t have to be a death sentence, but could be an empowering piece of knowledge.

“If the results do come back positive then I will have the edge,” Molenhouse said before receiving her results.

Molenhouse is one of more than 40 CNN iReporters who shared their experiences with testing for the BRCA gene mutation and the choices they were faced with as a result.

Thanks to advances in genetic testing, many women are finding out if they are predisposed to breast cancer and making life-altering decisions at young ages. While people with the gene mutation may never get cancer, carriers are at significantly higher risk of developing breast, ovarian and other cancers — and passing on the mutation to future generations.

Mutations in the breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, account for 5% to 10% of all breast cancers and one in seven ovarian cancer cases.

If the results of the BRCA gene test are positive, there are options. Some women will have preventive mastectomies, remove their ovaries, take anti-cancer drugs or change their lifestyles entirely before ever developing the disease. Whatever their choice, genetic testing can have a profound ripple effect throughout families.

A big decision

Testing positive for the BRCA gene wasn’t the hardest thing that Eryn Powell heard from her genetic counselor. It was hearing, “What’s your time line?” The genetic counselor meant her time line for getting married and having kids. This was all before Powell knew whether she had the gene. She says at that moment, it became real.

My preventive mastectomy: Staying alive for my kids

Women with the BRCA gene are at high risk for having aggressive types of breast and ovarian cancer. In order to prevent ovarian cancer, women are advised to have either a hysterectomy or oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries), both of which will eliminate all chances of having children biologically.

Powell broke down in tears. Here she was, 24 years old, needing to plan her life as it was just getting started.

After reading blogs, medical journals and speaking with doctors, she opted to have a preventive mastectomy to remove both breasts. Her gynecologist was very sympathetic to her situation and advised her to wait on the oophorectomy or hysterectomy because she is young and will most likely want children in her future.

As a 20-something in a serious relationship, one of her biggest concerns before her mastectomy was: Would her new breasts be cosmetically appealing? She didn’t want to look different from other women.

Her family was absolutely supportive of her decision, but some of her friends asked, “Why would you cut off a healthy part of your body?”

The answer was simple. Powell had seen the effects of cancer firsthand, watching her aunt die from the disease.

“If I have to cut off a part of my body so that my future husband and family won’t have to go through that, then I will cut off anything,” she says. “No questions asked.”

Recovery

“Waking up from my mastectomy/reconstruction surgery, I felt pressure,” Amy Shainman remembers. “It goes from feeling like an elephant, to a rhinoceros, to a lion, to a cheetah, to a large dog. It then feels like you have a heavy log on top of you. Eventually the pressure turns into feeling like there is lap dog on your chest, then a small cat.”

Shainman says it took her about two weeks to feel somewhat normal after her surgery and six weeks for a full recovery.

Breast cancer awareness: Not so pretty pink

As an outreach coordinator for the organization FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered), Shainman provides resources for women who grapple with the tough decisions they are facing after finding out they are BRCA gene carriers.

Having traveled this path, she is very honest in telling women how the surgery will alter their bodies and change their life. She believes education is key among doctors and patients to prevent, treat and conquer cancer in BRCA gene carriers.

“Hereditary cancer needs to not only be on the radar of all women, men and families — but on doctors’ radar, no matter their specialty,” she says. “The medical community as a whole needs the training/education on hereditary cancer so they can look for hereditary cancer signs in their patients, ask their patients the right questions and then advise those patients that fit the criteria to get genetic counseling.

“People make hugely important health decisions based on this one test, so the pre-genetic test counseling and the post-genetic test counseling are essential.”

Shainman has a history of cancer in her family and knew she needed to be tested for the gene. Once the results came back positive, she did a lot of research and used the FORCE organization to help her make the decision.

She chose to have both a hysterectomy and mastectomy to avoid cancer. She believes having surgeries are the only “cure” for BRCA patients.

She says she could not live with the continual anxiety of not knowing what would show on her next mammogram or breast scan. She says having the surgery allows her to feel relieved.

“Every day when I see my children at the breakfast table and am able to make them breakfast and get them off to school … I am thankful and I know I made the right choice.”

Readers: Less pink, more cures for breast cancer

Early detection

A few months after Cara Scharf graduated from college, her dad encouraged her to get tested for the BRCA mutation. Her mother died of breast cancer when she was 3, and her grandmother died of ovarian cancer before she was born.

When she tested positive for the gene, surgery seemed like a drastic move. She was 22. She decided it was best to undergo regular screenings and MRI scans to detect any abnormalities early.

“I think some people don’t realize how serious of a surgery it is,” Scharf says. “It is an amputation. Your body will never look the same and there is a high risk of complications. I wanted to keep my body the way it was and I was convinced that I had time to make my decision.”

Three years later, her scans showed breast cancer.

Breast cancer prevention: what every woman should know

The doctors were able to catch the disease in the early stages because she had been so vigilant about her screenings. But having breast cancer and undergoing chemotherapy at 25 was rough. Her brother got married that year, and she had to wear a wig to the wedding.

She, too, decided to have a double mastectomy to prevent the cancer from returning. She still lives in fear of a relapse.

“Young breast cancer survivors have a whole set of issues to deal with that are different from breast cancer survivors who are older,” she says. “I’m not saying the following considerations are exclusive to young breast cancer survivors, but they are experienced differently: Fertility, relationships, long-term survivorship, body image, dealing with friends who don’t understand.”

She says she now finds herself asking a lot of existential questions like, “Why am I here?” and “What’s my purpose?”

She doesn’t blame herself for not having surgery when she was younger. She has joined a couple of young breast cancer survivor groups and says they have helped her through the process. Her focus now is how she can live out her dreams.

Heartache

Lisa Fassnacht watched her sister, Christy, die from breast cancer when her sister was 34 years old. While Christy was fighting for her life, she begged her sister to get tested for the gene mutation and have the necessary surgeries so Lisa’s children wouldn’t have to watch their aunt battle a debilitating disease.

“My family, friends, sister and doctors all wanted me to have the surgeries right away,” Fassnacht said. “I was very reluctant. I suppose I was still in a bit of denial. I was a single parent, working full time as a nurse, and spending my weekends driving four hours to help care for my sister. I didn’t have time to think about me.”

She eventually went for the test, convinced that the results would be negative.

After hearing the results were positive, she remembers feeling shocked. Since then she has undergone a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and she is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy later this month.

“It has been very difficult. Not only did I have to lose my breasts that make me look like a woman, but I also will soon lose my ovaries that make me a woman. I remember telling my sister ‘Oh, they are just breasts. The doctors will give you new and improved ones when you are all done.’ Now I know why that was the wrong thing to say,” she says.

At the time of her mastectomy, Lisa was newly engaged (she is now married) and worried that cutting off her breasts and having a hysterectomy would change the dynamic of their relationship emotionally, physically and sexually. She says her husband, Dave Fassnacht, was — and is — absolutely supportive.

“She is my hero for making the very difficult decision to have these surgeries, while 100% healthy, to prevent cancer from taking a wonderful wife and mother from my life and the lives of her children,” her husband says. “We will always be grateful for what she is doing.”

A bra that could detect cancer

Thriving

Tobey Young, 54, believes you have to be positive when going through this journey. While there will be hiccups, staying positive is key for speeding along the recovery process, she says — allowing you to be here for your childrens’ weddings, the next birthday and your next anniversary.

It has been five years since Young’s last surgery and she says she feels absolutely fabulous. Young has never had cancer and therefore identifies with the term “previvor.” The term has been adopted by many carriers who have taken preventive measures — surgeries, drugs or vigilant screenings — to dramatically reduce their risks of developing the disease.

In 2007, Young’s physician told her she was positive for the BRCA gene. The first thing she remembers saying was, “Cut off my boobs — what, are you crazy?” She was aware of her family’s history of cancer and was already vigilant in testing for breast cancer through screenings and mammograms.

But, she says, after being in denial for about 20 minutes, she made the decision to have her breasts, ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.

“I was a ticking time bomb with an 87% chance of getting breast cancer and a 44% (chance) of ovarian cancer,” she says. “(I) didn’t like the odds.”

She still gets screenings, although she has been told the chances of her developing cancer are slim. She no longer needs mammograms and describes her breasts as beautiful. She is also no longer in fear of developing cancer and is very involved with the organization she founded after being tested, previvorsandsurvivors.com.

She created the organization to offer support to women who are BRCA gene carriers.

“While I was going through my previvor experience, I was invited to join a group of women breast cancer survivors,” Young said. “I can certainly empathize with the breast cancer community, but those of us who have never heard the words ‘You have breast cancer’ are not the same.”

October 2012 Breast Cancer Awareness Month

posted on October 1, 2012 at 12:05 am

It is Breast Cancer Awareness month!

previvorsandsurvivors.com wants to support all the breast cancer previvors and survivors out there.

Have you had your annual mammogram? Mammography/Sonogram screening can detect breast cancer before you feel a lump.

CHECK FOR:

  • Lump in the breast or armpit area.
  • Rash on the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer can show up as a rash.
  • Nipple inversion. Nipple discharge. Nipple pain.
  • Texture, size, color of breast monthly for any changes.

Please ask your doctor or nurse to show you how to do a monthly breast exam the same time every month so that you are familiar with your body and can recognize any changes.

Be well you all……

National HBOC week & National Previvor Day 2012

posted on September 23, 2012 at 12:05 am

This is National HBOC week (hereditary breast & ovarian cancer) & Wednesday, September 26, 2012 is National Previvor Day. Wednesday is also Yom Kippur or the Jewish Day of Atonement the holiest and most solemn day of the year. According to tradition, each person’s fate is sealed for the year on this date.  So, I’d like to wish everyone HEALTH, HAPPINESS, PEACE & PROSPERITY for the coming year.

The mission of our group is to provide the support, skills and resources to all women in relation to the BRCA gene and  hereditary  breast and ovarian cancer. It’s a place where ordinary people help ordinary people.

Having a group dedicated to spreading the word about previvors and what it’s all about and can save a life. There are tests out there to check whether or not you carry the BRCA gene that makes your family so predisposed to breast or ovarian cancer and there are prophylactic measures you can take to avoid cancer. Get your annual breast and gynecological exams. You can read about it at our blog: www.previvorsandsurvivors.com & our forum has plenty of good information too: www.previvorsandsurvivors.com/forum/. That’s what National Previvor Day is all about- getting the word out and saving lives.

Be well everyone… Happy & Healthy New Year wishes… and HAPPY PREVIVOR DAY.

September 2012

posted on September 1, 2012 at 11:30 am

It is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month!

previvorsandsurvivors.com wants to support all the ovarian cancer previvors and suvivors out there.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer are:

  • Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
  • Pelvic discomfort or pain
  • Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
  • Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
  • Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
  • Loss of appetite or quickly feeling full
  • Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
  • A persistent lack of energy
  • Low back pain

There is also a test out there called CA125.  Please ask your doctor about it.

Be well you all……

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