We invite you to join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Read More:
“Why Doctors Are Rethinking Breast-Cancer Treatment.” Time Magazine, October 1, 2015.
“Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer.” Peggy Orenstein. The New York Times, April 25, 2013.
Missy, thank you. You are so right. Women need to be completely informed, which isn’t happening when your doctor and the health care system around you pressures you with fear that if you are not having this test yearly you may have a ticking time bomb inside you. Even as over the past few years the evidence has shown that yearly test not only don’t protect women, they are exposing them potentially harmful radiation from the test. Of course for women who are never going to test positive, that is a lot of unnecessary harmful exposure. Then there are a significant number of women, myself included, who have dense tissue where the mammograms are a complete waste of time, money and anxiety. In these cases even if you find a lump, a mammogram is completely unhelpful, the next line of defense is ultrasound, which usually cannot see through the dense tissue either, so you are left with a biopsy. Then wait, and fear, most likely for something that wasn’t an issue. But many women who have mammograms that have tissue that is more visible find themselves with questionable “things”. Doctors preform biopsy’s to be safe. And then what has been found is that there are many false positives. There is a jump to treat and women are not going to argue or often get a second opinion its such and emotionally charged issue.
So much research has come out in the last few years that shows that outcomes are not that much greater with early mammograms or yearly. My mother had a number of suspicious lumps that were biopsied. She went through enormous fear and was pressured for more aggressive treatment. that was more that 40 years ago. She is still here. When I felt my first lump I remember how afraid I was. I had the mammogram and they could see nothing. Watching the tech and doctors fret while they could feel the lump and not see it on any kink of X-ray set me into a panic. I was sure I had cancer and was headed for a mastectomy. In the end they couldn’t say it was anything. A biopsy provided nothing. I went through this 3 more times in 5 years, faithfully going to my yearly mammograms. Not once could they see anything. I was then subjected to more tests and fear. I finally said no more. It was a waste of time money and anxiety. I do self checks. I don’t have family history. I haven’t had a mammogram in nearly 10 years.
I’ve opted out years ago and it is my choice. It is my belief we are being deceived into contributing to the pink cure when so much doesn’t really go to research. I love the color pink, but don’t like how it is used to the point of abuse to get people onboard and falling for the promise that $$ goes to fight breast cancer. On the other hand, check out burzynskimovie.com in which a Biochemist found out that Antineoplastons were discovered to help in the war against cancer. Educate yourself!
I am a nurse practitioner for over 30 years and will refer to Lynn’s remarks which are medically correct and based on evidence based medicine… I also will never buy anything from this company. You may have dissuaded another woman from obtaining a lifesaving test with your irresponsible message leave medicine to the women and their chosen physician.
Thank you so much for speaking up. Just reading these cranky email responses helps me realize the courage it takes to speak up for our choices around mammograms. Yes, there is research to support not getting mammograms, though Europe seems far more interested than we are in the United States. My mother and sister both died of breast cancer- my sister just this past April at the age of 45. My sister opted out of mammograms, thank goodness. She was BRCA-1 positive, and all of that radiation exposure would have sped up her cancer-ready cells. I have had one false positive mammogram, and the whole experience was terrifying- and lasted months (between appointments). I wrestle with this same question- knowing that mammograms expose me to radiation, knowing that with dense tissue I have a HIGH likelihood of a false positive, and knowing that the level of stress associated with mammograms is not healthy for anyone. I completely support your position and am saddened by the number of people who are so vehement against it. Thank you for speaking up. It helps many of us strengthen our stance. Yes to shoulders to cry on, yes to support through rough times with cancer, yes to meals for families working to take care of each other, yes to research, yes to caring for each other. Thank you for your cogent and thoughtful points. I would have loved to send your email to my sister. She would have spoken right with you.
Wow!! Imagine if a mammogram would have detected your sisters cancer early and saved her life!!! How can you be so blind???
Missy has no right to blast customers with her views on breast cancer just because we have shopped with title nine. Very inappropriate venue and abuse of email addresses!
Sorry for being so “cranky”, but surviving a life-threatening disease that we don’t want other to suffer through tends to bring that out in us.
As a registered nurse and two-time breast cancer survivor, I am dismayed to see a very personal opinion in an email from a commercial establishment. Your personal feelings have no place here, not to mention that you might be placing other women at risk.
I have purchased products from your store in the past, but no more. Please remove me from your mailing list.
Unusual, provocative approach. I wonder how many people have now better informed themselves of the science involved after reading your blog. I went straight to digging online and am now more educated on breastfeeding cancer. My insurance requires mammograms every 3 years after age 40 to keep my rates low but up until now I had basically not given it much thought. Thanks for the challenge, the passion, and getting us passionate on both sides of the argument. I also informed myself about the medical research around stress.
On a personal note, my 78 year old father had a very fast growing prostate cancer that was only found when his lymph nodes stayed swollen for 3 months. He refused to accept that he was sick but continued treatment with testosterone stopping meds – and is fully cancer free 2 months later. The doctors attribute it to his positive outlook and relaxed attitude. So he benefited from both testing and his relaxed, stress free approach.
I just received a forward of your blog post. Rest assured, your message has been received and is likely NOT having the you intended. I, along with many other commenters, will NOT be shopping at your store. You are not a medical professional, and this was a very innappropriate use of your position and company platform.
All I can say is WOW – what a disservice to so many women & a terrible use of your business platform. This certainly does not belong in a mass mailing from a great clothing company. Mammograms do save lives. And I will no longer be shopping at Title Nine.
Amen, sister.
i dont receive your emails, but your post was forwarded to me. INAPPROPRIATE use of your company and positi