When faced with breast cancer, some people may ask themselves, “Why me?” as a reaction to the diagnoses.

“Why not me? I’m no more special than anyone else,” Sherry Cyrus, a breast cancer survivor, said. “As a former teacher, I have seen so many children that are in terrible situations and don’t deserve the bad things that happen to them, so why would I think that I am so much more untouchable than an innocent child. Bad things do happen to really good people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the best of it.”

According to the American Cancer Society, roughly one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. In 2019, an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 63,960 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.

“I see countless women diagnosed with breast cancer that have taken good care of their health for their entire lives,” said Angela Smith, a registered nurse with a master’s degree of science in nursing at St. Mary’s Medical Center. “At the end of the day, anyone with breast tissue can get breast cancer, even men.” 

Smith explained how there is no set cause for breast cancer and individuals develop it in different ways.

“We are still learning about what causes mutations in DNA that lead to breast cancer,” Smith said. “It can come through genetics at birth and develop later in life or are sometimes developed because a person is exposed to certain unpreventable things in their life that can cause a mutation as well.” 

Marshall University and St. Mary’s Medical Center will be organizing events throughout the month of October to raise awareness and support those affected by breast cancer.

“It’s a disease that not only affects the person diagnosed, but their loved ones as well,” said Nick Hatten, a Marshall University junior and child of a breast cancer survivor. “It’s nice that Marshall and St. Mary’s are trying to spread awareness, so that way people don’t feel so alone and confused when cancer strikes their family.” 

St Mary’s Medical Center will be hosting events such as a fundraiser to provide breast health services for uninsured or underinsured women, a breast cancer survivor support group, free breast cancer screenings, a breast cancer survivor reunion and more throughout October. 

Sarah Rowe can be contacted at [email protected].