The memories I have of my Mum’s Mum (my Granny) are few and far between. Many of my memories are re-ignited by going through old photos of her but she died when I was five. She died from breast cancer.
She had not told anyone. Not a soul. Not her husband (my Grandad), her daughter (my Mum) or her son (my Uncle). She had been scared. Absolutely petrified I would say. Her friend had died two years earlier from breast cancer and that must have played on her mind too. By the time the family knew she was ill she was already in hospital. She died a few weeks later.
My Mum goes for regular mammogram checks and she’s perfectly fine but I know she checks herself too. I’ve had a few lumps that are there first thing in the morning and have disappeared a few hours later. Of course each time I find a lump I take a sharp intake of breath and tell myself it’ll be gone later. I do always check and if there was a lump that did not go away I would go to the doctor.
As fellow writer Soapgirl detailed in Breast Checks. How and why… it really is simple to do. Don’t be scared and TELL SOMEONE.
I really wish my Granny had told someone. Then I might have more memories to remember of her. Please if you do just one thing tonight, please check yourself.
Boobs are awesome, and so are you!