According to NMSU certified nurse practitioner and women’s health care provider Patty Chavana, more than 13,000 young women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
Photo by Ada Ciuca
Not only that, she said, but there are currently more than 250,000 women diagnosed at 40 years or younger living in the United States. The crowd of pink clad college-aged women gathered inside the Corbett Center Auditorium on October 15 was in disbelief.
Chavana was lecturing as part of the “Girl Talk” event presented by the NMSU Panhellenic Council in partnership with the Campus Health Center. With Breast Cancer Awareness Month in full gear, the NMSU Aggies are Tough Enough to Wear Pink breast cancer awareness campaign needed a way in with the younger crowds- and this presentation was it.
Not only did Chavana discuss generalities that every young woman should be aware of, but survivor and NMSU student Lei Lani Nava was also present, giving the audience a first hand account of the reality of cancer at a young age.
In her mid-twenties and finally in remission, Nava is able to sit at the podium, hoops in ears and hair in a sleek ponytail, and discuss her experience in a strong, articulate manner. She tells of her struggle with the disease as a young woman and how she overcame it.
Risks for breast cancer include being female, any types of abnormal but non-cancerous cells, beginning a period before age 12, breast density and genetics. For Nava, the diagnosis may have been written in her family history; her grandmother passed away from the disease.
Nava’s cancer was not obvious- it was found because of her persistence while at the doctor’s office. Her only symptom, chest pain, and her age, did not warrant concern about the disease. Her gut feeling, however, is what may have saved her life.
“If you feel something’s wrong, go to the doctor. Get help,” Nava said, explaining how she searched for multiple opinions until somebody took her concerns seriously. “You’re not an exception,” she added.
Chavana agreed. “If you think something is wrong, address it,” she said, while letting girls know that not every bump is reason to be afraid. Eighty percent of breast lumps are not cancer related.
While the disease is unpredictable, there are still factors that young women can, and should, control. Not getting enough exercise, drinking more than one alcoholic drink per day, being overweight and taking some hormone therapy and birth control pills are some of the controllable risk factors currently known. Young ladies are encouraged to keep tabs on these aspects of their health and regularly check their breasts for any abnormalities. If they’re not willing to do so, Chavana mentioned a backup plan.
“Share your shower cart,” she said. “A lot of partners find those lumps. They’re touching those girls more than you do.”