{"id":98029,"date":"2025-10-02T17:34:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T17:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/densebreastscanada.ca\/?p=98029"},"modified":"2025-10-02T19:15:50","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:15:50","slug":"tammy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/densebreastscanada.ca\/fr\/tammy\/","title":{"rendered":"Tammy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi, I\u2019m Tammy, and in March 2021, at age 47, I heard the words no one ever wants to hear:\u00a0\u201cYou have cancer.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I had no family history of breast cancer. When I first found the lump – by accident while brushing my hair – it didn\u2019t even cross my mind that it could be cancer. I had always been told I had dense breasts (I learned this back in my late 20\u2019s, after having cysts removed), but I thought my lump would be \u201cjust another cyst.\u201d<\/p>\n

I went in for a mammogram, and right after, I had an ultrasound. The doctor came into the room and told me I needed a biopsy. I had three biopsies in my right breast and two in my underarm. Still, I thought everything would be fine. I was wrong.<\/p>\n

A few weeks passed and I got the call, that it was breast cancer and it had already spread to my lymph nodes. I remember thinking, this can\u2019t be real! Less than.a month later, I had my first mastectomy. I was diagnosed with:\u00a0Triple Negative, Invasive, Ductal, Metaplastic, Multifocal Stage 3, Grade 3 Carcinoma of the Breast.<\/em>\u00a0(These are big words that mean I had multiple lumps in different locations in the same breast)<\/p>\n

My partner dropped me off at the hospital doors because Covid restrictions wouldn\u2019t allow anyone to accompany me. I walked in alone. That became a theme – I did most of my treatments and appointments alone. My partner was there when it mattered most, but my family lived in Ontario while I was in Alberta, so much of this journey I had to carry by myself.<\/p>\n

And as if that wasn\u2019t enough, while I was still healing from my first surgery – with the staples still in my chest – I was diagnosed with\u00a0Stage 2C Rectal Cancer. That\u2019s a whole other story.<\/p>\n

Altogether, I endured:<\/p>\n

– 20 radiations + 6 rounds of chemo for breast cancer<\/p>\n

– 36 radiations + 3 rounds of chemo for rectal cancer<\/p>\n

– Two mastectomies, two years apart (the second was my choice, for preventative reasons)<\/p>\n

– The removal of 17 lymph nodes, 4 of which were cancerous<\/p>\n

I chose to remain flat. And let\u2019s be honest – this is an amputation, and it\u2019s not just physical healing. It\u2019s emotional. It\u2019s learning to see and love yourself again in a new way. Healing means finding your voice, reclaiming your power, and refusing to let cancer define you.<\/p>\n

I had to advocate fiercely for myself. Three different doctors told me \u201cno\u201d when I asked to have my left breast removed preventivly. But I pushed until I got the surgery, because I knew my body and my risks. Advocacy matters! Early detection saves lives, but so does raising your voice and demanding answers.<\/p>\n

I also learned that you can have two women with the same diagnosis, and yet their treatments, side effects, and experiences are completely different. For me, lymphedema is a daily reminder of what was taken. For someone else, it might be something else. There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all with this disease.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I tell people:<\/p>\n

– Know your family history.<\/p>\n

– Ask the hard questions.<\/p>\n

– Know your breast density<\/p>\n

– Don\u2019t go down the \u201cDr. Google\u201d rabbit hole –\u00a0<\/strong>save your sanity and go for a walk instead.<\/p>\n

– And most of all –\u00a0advocate for yourself.\u00a0I am here today because I didn\u2019t stop asking questions.<\/p>\n

Cancer has also changed how I live my life. I\u2019ve become very intentional about what I put\u00a0in, on, and around\u00a0my body. That led me to partner with a company that creates products without toxins – because prevention and awareness aren\u2019t just about screenings, they\u2019re also about what we do every day to protect our health.<\/p>\n

Today, I\u2019m a Gramma to the most handsome little man, Beau. I still love ladybugs, unicorns, and flip flops, because, why not?! And I want every woman to know: life can still be\u00a0BeYOUtiful<\/em>\u00a0after a diagnosis. You can still laugh, love, and make memories. You are not alone in this journey.<\/p>\n

And the more we talk about dense breasts, the more women understand their risks, and the more lives we can save. Because knowledge is power.<\/p>\n

Thank you for this opportunity to share my story. I could have written so many pages as there are so many layers to this (haha) I send love, light, hope and strength to all that have to travel this path.<\/p>\n

Tammy<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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