Most women believe that if they get their annual mammogram, they are being proactive with their breast health, but it doesn’t stop there. Karen E. Jackson, breast cancer survivor and founder and CEO of Sisters Network shares the keys to fighting against breast cancer and why knowledge is power. Check out her inspiring story…
BDO: How did you discover that you had breast cancer and what was your initial thought process after your diagnosis?
Karen: I became aware of my family history with breast cancer. I’ve always been a proactive person about my personal health so I started getting my mammogram since I was 35. At that time in the 80s, that was unheard of because they were telling women not to get mammograms at an early age, but I wanted to be proactive and I wanted to find out. I was very blessed that I was persistent in getting my mammogram, my intuition and listening to my body. I felt as though something was wrong with my breast. It was nothing to see but it was a feeling I had in my breast.
I was persistent in getting the doctor to tell me what other kind of tests were available because I didn’t know what else to ask for. They recommended the ultrasound and that was how I was able to find out that I had a cancer in my right breast for many years and that it was 3.5 centimeters. It wasn’t detected by the mammogram, so I’m one of those women who would have fallen through the cracks because I was only getting a mammogram. Actually it’s not enough for any woman. A mammogram only gives you 85% of what’s going on in your body. Don’t you want 100%?