Today is dedicated to my dear friend Sandie Walters (*see below)
Did you know…
Despite billions raised for awareness and early detection…
“There is no actual decrease in the number of women and men dying from breast cancer each year. It’s still holding steady at about 40,000. To put it another way, 110 Americans will die today from metastatic breast cancer. ” – Is the Number of Breast Cancer Deaths Really Dropping?
Facts about Metastatic Breast Cancer from METAvivor, a nonprofit organization focused on metastatic breast cancer research, support, and awareness:
- The popular breast cancer fundraising movements give on average only 2-5% of their research funds to researching breast cancer metastasis.
- Instead, their primary focus is on prevention, which does nothing to help those already diagnosed, and early detection, which does not impact those facing the ultimate death sentence of stage 4 breast cancer.
- 100% of breast cancer deaths occur because of metastasis, and almost 100% of people whose breast cancer has metastasized will die from it.
- Millions of women and men have died while waiting for research funds to finally be shifted to metastasis research.
In honor of Sandie Walters
Chicago, May 2017
Sandie was a passionate DCIS and breast cancer researcher. She cared so much about helping women make well-informed, well-researched decisions based also on their preferences and values.
Sandie and I met via an online support forum. We developed a friendship and despite living thousands of miles apart, we co-developed DCIS Redefined: Dilemmas, Choices & Integrative Solutions.
Sadly, Sandie died suddenly in January, 2018 after a short bout with pneumonia.
Sandie had an initial diagnosis of low grade DCIS in 2007. Seven years later she had a diagnosis of invasive cancer in the opposite breast. She had a mastectomy and soon after discovered her cancer had metastasized. She became passionate about investigating a more integrative approach to invasive and metastatic breast cancer. We had a lot of talks about the need for better research for the kind of cancer that kills so many despite billions raised for early detection and awareness.
Sandie was a light in the darkness for me and so many other women with DCIS. Her spirit is always with me. I just made a donation to METAvivor in Sandie’s honor. I hope you will consider doing the same in honor or in memory of someone you love.
Watch this video from METAvivor and hear why women want to shift focus and research funding:
DCIS 411 