Rachel B. Mlis: Today marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s about the real people who navigate this serious and life-threatening health crisis.

Rachel B. Mlis, shared on X/Twitter:

“Today marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer awareness isn’t about “saving the tatas” or really anyone’s breasts. It’s about the real people who navigate this serious and life-threatening health crisis.

It’s about young people who can’t build the life they always dreamed of because breast cancer took their fertility. It’s about watching your back at all times, waiting for another side effect, reoccurrence, or new cancer to take you out.

It’s about people diagnosed with stage 4 who will not be able to see their children grow or live to be old, something we all take for granted. Breast cancer doesn’t care about your age. It can hit at any time.

It’s about being in forced menopause before we’re ready and longing for the normalcy of a period. Being robbed of so many aspects that make us “us.” Hair, nails, eyebrows, strong bones, stamina, and a life without pain elude us.

The mental toll breast cancer takes is enormous. Getting through treatments just to have new horrors waiting for us. The countless doctor’s appointments, spending our PTO on this and not on actual vacations.

Finally, we are all aware that breast cancer exists. But we MUST realize it affects people of all races, genders, and lifestyles. Not everyone will have an equal chance at detection or treatment. These disparities remain. We MUST do better.”

Source: Rachel B. Mils/Twitter