1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: This is let's be clear with Shannon Doherty. Hello, everybody, 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: let's be clear family. I'm so excited to be able 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: to speak to all of you. My name is Amy 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: Robach and for those of you who don't know me, 5 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: I have a podcast called Amy and TJ. I was 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: formerly an anchor and a reporter on Good Morning America. 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: Perhaps you might know me from there, But it was 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: through that job on Good Morning America that I had 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: the honor and the privilege of meeting, speaking with, and 10 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: interviewing the late great Shannon Doherty. It was twenty twenty. 11 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: It was actually right before the pandemic, right before all 12 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 1: hell broke loose in this country. In February of twenty twenty. Wow, 13 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: that was five years ago. I got to sit down 14 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: and speak with Shannon, and she decided that month, that 15 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: day to let the world know what she had been 16 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: dealing with and what she had known for some time 17 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: at that point, that her cancer, that her breast cancer 18 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: had come back, that it was stage four metastatic breast cancer, 19 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:18,639 Speaker 1: and it was gutting. It's the news that no breast 20 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: cancer patient survivor wants to hear. It's the thing that 21 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: we all fear I, for those of you who don't know, 22 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: am also a breast cancer survivor. I had stage two 23 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: breast cancer. It had traveled to my lympt notes and 24 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: I was diagnosed through a work assignment on Good Morning America. 25 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: So it was a full circle moment to be able 26 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: to speak with Shannon there on Good Morning America. Seven 27 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: years later. She and I were diagnosed within a couple 28 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: of years of each other with early stage breast cancer. 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: And so yes for her to have to come back 30 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: and tell the world that her cancer had come back. 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: And for a lot of cancers, I can come back, 32 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: and you can fight it and you can beat it. 33 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: But those of us who have had breast cancer know 34 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: that when you get the stage four metastatic diagnosis, that 35 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: it is a terminal one right now. And there are 36 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: drugs and there are ways to fight it, to prolong 37 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: your life and to live longer and better, but ultimately, 38 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: right now, if you get a stage four metastatic diagnosis, 39 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: you are dying. And so when Shannon sat down with 40 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: me to break this news, it was heartbreaking and it 41 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: was personal. I, like so many of you, grew up 42 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: loving Shannon Doherty. I think we're we're about one or 43 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: two years apart. I'm fifty two. I think she might 44 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:40,679 Speaker 1: have been two years older than me. 45 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 2: So I was absolutely in awe of her and just 46 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: got to see her from AFAR, got to interview her 47 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: in a group, but I didn't get to meet her 48 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: one on one, and sadly, it wasn't until she came 49 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: to Good Morning America on that February morning in twenty 50 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 2: twenty that I actually got to sit down with her, 51 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: and what we had to talk about was the last 52 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 2: thing either one of us wanted to but she was 53 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 2: so brave, you. 54 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: Know that is I don't know if people give women 55 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: who come forward, especially women in the public eye, enough 56 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: credit for coming forward, because especially when you're someone like 57 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: Shannon Doherty, who was this bright, beautiful, shining example of 58 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: success and health to then say I have this right 59 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: now in curable disease, and I am dying and I 60 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: am scared, and I don't know what's next, and I 61 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: don't know how hard it's going to get and how 62 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: dark it's going to get. But I'm sharing this with 63 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: the world because I want other women to not feel alone. 64 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: I want to promote and be an advocate for better research. 65 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: So that we can find a cure to this disease. 66 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: And I'm going to put my name, and I'm going 67 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: to put my face, and I'm going to put all 68 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: of this pain out there to the world so that 69 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: we can all collectively embrace each other and then work 70 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: together to try and find a cure. Is so brave. 71 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: That is so brave. I remember when I first was 72 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: diagnosed and decided to go public with my breast cancer diagnosis. 73 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: My surgeon said to me the night before the surgery, 74 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: are you sure you want to go public with this? 75 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: Are you sure you want to tell the world about 76 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: your diagnosis? And I said yes, but why are you 77 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: asking me like this? And doctor Axelrod said, are you 78 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: prepared to be pitied? I don't know that you are. 79 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: It's a big deal to have people look at you 80 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,679 Speaker 1: and look at you like they're almost attending your funeral, 81 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: and that will happen to you, and sure enough it did. 82 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: You know, you get the cancer nod and the cancer hugs, 83 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: and the people look at you with pity. And it's 84 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: a strange thing to experience if you haven't before. And 85 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: it's one thing to have an early stage diagnosis like 86 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:57,559 Speaker 1: she and I both did in the beginning. It's another 87 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: thing altogether, when you're telling the world that you have 88 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: an incurable disease and that you're dying, and that takes 89 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: a whole other level of bravery that I just want 90 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: to commend Shannon for doing. Because when you tell your story, 91 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: when one person tells their story, it affects everyone around you. 92 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: All the women in your life tend to go and 93 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: make those manbogram appointments or to make that doctor's appointment, 94 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: to keep those appointments that they hadn't before, because they're 95 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: suddenly realizing how vulnerable we all are as human beings, 96 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: and that if we don't have our health, we don't 97 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 1: have anything. So every person listening to this podcast, no 98 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: matter what it is you may be dealing with, whether 99 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: it's loss or a disease or some sort of issue, 100 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: when you share it with one person, it affects everyone 101 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: around you because there is a collective learning and understanding 102 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: and growing that comes from it. So when you're someone 103 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: like Shannon Doherty and you take your tremendous and enormous 104 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: platform and you tell the world what you're dealing with, 105 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: the impact of that is immense. And so I just 106 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: I was sitting there talking with her and interviewing her. 107 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,239 Speaker 1: I was in awe of her because I have thought, 108 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: and I think a lot of women who have early 109 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: stage breast cancer have thought about what they would do 110 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: and how they would handle a stage four metastatic diagnosis. 111 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: Anyone who has had breast cancer lives with that threat, 112 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: lives with that fear of it returning, of it recurring, 113 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: and of it being stage four metastatic. And we live 114 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: our lives differently because of it, and we spend our 115 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: time differently because of it. But there's a lot of 116 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 1: fear and a lot of mental work that has to 117 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: be done along with the physical when you're dealing with 118 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: the breast cancer diagnosis, and specifically a stage four metastatic diagnosis. 119 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: I have had two dear friends, One has already passed 120 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: and one is rounding just rounded her seventh year as 121 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: a metastatic breast cancer patient, and that is frankly remarkable, 122 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: and I am an awe of her each and every day. 123 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: It's people like Shannon. It's people like my friend Morgan, 124 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: my dear friend Olivia, who I lost, we all lost 125 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: last November. They are the women who I think of 126 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: every day when I have little things that happen where 127 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: I am upset or I feel frustrated by I think 128 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: about those women and I say, I got this. This 129 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: is a very small problem. This is just a situation 130 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: that needs to be addressed. It's not actually a real problem. 131 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: It just puts full perspective into your life. And I 132 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: just want to share with all of you in this 133 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:36,239 Speaker 1: podcast what I learned from Shannon, from women like Shannon, 134 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: and from my own personal diagnosis. I don't know how 135 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: many people know my story who are listening to this, 136 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: but I was forty years old, and at the time, 137 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:52,559 Speaker 1: the recommendations by all the different agencies that tell women 138 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: how often they should get tests and when they should 139 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: get tests. Even the American Cancer Society that point had 140 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: said women could wait until they were forty five. 141 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 2: And then the. 142 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: Main group that determines when women should get mamograms, or 143 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: at least advises women they should get mammograms, said it 144 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: was fifty. So when Good Morning America asked me, when 145 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: I had just turned forty, if I would go have 146 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: a mammogram in a Mamma van in front of a 147 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: live national audience for Good Morning America on October first, 148 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness about 149 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: the importance of mammograms and the importance of early detection. 150 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: I said, no, I just I'm an authentic person, and 151 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: I just I told my producers at Good Morning America, 152 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: I had no intention of getting a mammogram, and I 153 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: was planning on waiting ten years before I had my 154 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: first mammogram, and so I didn't want to go on 155 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: national television and tell other women to get a mammogram. 156 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: If I myself was not going to get one, that 157 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: was just a non starter for me. And they asked 158 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: me to speak to Robin Roberts, who is also a 159 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: breast cancer arriver. She doesn't even like the words survivor. 160 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: She is a thriver. And they said, will you please 161 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: talk to Robin for you make it an absolute no. 162 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: I said sure. So I walked into Robin's dressing room 163 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,439 Speaker 1: and I said, hey, Robin, I'm not the gal. I'm 164 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: not the one who should go into the Mamma Van 165 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: next week. I have no connection to the disease. My 166 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: mom is one of nine, my dad is one of six. 167 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: At that time, I had all of my grandparents still alive, 168 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: all of my aunts, all of my cousins. No one, 169 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: and I don't even know how many cousins I have 170 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 1: at this point, but no one has breast cancer in 171 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: my family. So I just felt like I had no 172 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: personal connection to the disease, and I certainly didn't think 173 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: that I needed a mammogram. And Robin said to me, 174 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: She laughed and said, you're exactly the person who should 175 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: walk into that Mamma Van because you think cancer can't 176 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: happen to you. And she said, I'm sure you're fine, 177 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 1: but it's that mentality that causes women not to make 178 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: those appointments and not to keep those appointments. And so 179 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: let me just say this to you. Robin said, if 180 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: you walk into that Mamma Van and you get that 181 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: mammogram on live national television, and you show the world, 182 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 1: you show the women watching that it's not that painful, 183 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: that it's not that hard, you will save a life. 184 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 1: One woman will make her appointment who wouldn't have otherwise, 185 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: and she will find her breast cancer and she will 186 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: thank you for saving her life. That was a really, 187 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,679 Speaker 1: really compelling argument, and I did a one eight in 188 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: that moment. I remember feeling emotion. It felt like a 189 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: watershed moment, and I said to Robin, I said, we 190 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: were in her dressing room. I said, I cannot believe 191 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: I'm saying this. I'm going to do a one eighty 192 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: here and I'll do it. I'll do it. I can't 193 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: beat that argument. I'll say yes. And so, because I 194 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: was nudged by Robin and my producers to get into 195 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: that Mamma Van and to get that mammogram, I found 196 00:10:49,440 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: my breast cancer. And that was just the beginning. I 197 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: got the diagnosis that they found a lump in my 198 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 1: right breast, and it seemed like it was fairly small, 199 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: and so my surgeon recommended that I have a lumpectomy. 200 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: Something that Robin told me and something that Hotocopy told 201 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 1: me too, women who I knew and loved who had 202 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: survived and thrived beyond their diagnosis. They both told me 203 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: about the power of advocacy and that each patient has 204 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: a right to navigate their own treatment. And that's a 205 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: scary thing for a lot of women. And doctors are 206 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: much smarter than me. I don't have a medical degree. 207 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: My brother does, so I was lucky enough to be 208 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: able to lean on him as well. But when I 209 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: was told that a lumpectomy was my best option. I 210 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: dug in and looked further, and my brother, really, among 211 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: all the people I talked to, convinced me to have 212 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: a double mistectomy. And that is a scary surgery. It 213 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: is it is an amputation. It is not something to 214 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: take lightly, and it is life changing. And every day 215 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 1: I am in the shower, I don't have feeling in 216 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: my breasts. Every day I take a shower, I know 217 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: that I'm a breast cancer survivor because it just the 218 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: best way I can describe it is if you've had 219 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: novacane to get a cavity filled, how it feels weird, 220 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: and you can that's how my breasts feel. That's how 221 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: they will always feel. And that's a lot better than 222 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: they felt in the months after the double mis aectamy. 223 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: So my point being, I am not advocating double mistectomies 224 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: here because they are a very serious surgery that require 225 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: very serious consideration. However, my surgeon really didn't think I 226 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: should get a double mistectomy. She didn't think I needed one, 227 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: and the night before the surgery, she also wouldn't that 228 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: phone call. She also said to me, are you sure 229 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: you don't want to get a lumpect to me, are 230 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: you sure you don't want to change your mind? And 231 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: I said, I'm sure. When I woke up from the surgery, 232 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: there she was, my surgeon standing over me, and she 233 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: said to me, Okay, you were right, but I was good. 234 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,319 Speaker 1: And she told me that when they did the double 235 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: mistectmy she took her finger and just felt the lining 236 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: of my chest wall. And I had had, by the way, 237 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: an MRI, a sonogram, and the mammogram, and all of 238 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: those tests only showed one malignant mass. When she felt 239 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: the lining of my chest wall, she found another mass. 240 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: They tested it on the site and found out that 241 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: it too was malignant. So she found a second malignant 242 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: tumor only because I had the double mistect me. And 243 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: I just always want to tell that story because you 244 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: never know. You have to trust really the research you've done. 245 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: And at the end of the day, it was my gut. 246 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: My gut just told me that I wanted to get 247 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: a double mistect to me, and it proved to be 248 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: the best choice of an the best course of action. 249 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: When they did all of the testing on all of 250 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: my breast tissue from both breasts. My left breast also 251 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: was completely pre cancerous and so it too they believe 252 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: would have ultimately developed into breast cancer. So having the 253 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: double the bilateral mistectomy was absolutely the right decision for me, 254 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: and it was confirmed with the surgical results. So I 255 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: always always want to tell that story. The other decision 256 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: you have to make is what happens afterwards. I went, 257 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: I actually went, I had to have chemo. You get 258 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: an ANCO score. It tells you your chance of recurrence 259 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: and the threat of having a comeback metastatic mind was 260 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: much higher than they wanted it to be. And just 261 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: all the lab work that they did on my breast issue, 262 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: my oncologist said, you don't have a choice. You have 263 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: to have chemo. So I went through six months of chemo. 264 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: And then when you're done with that and you have 265 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: your reconstructive surgery, now you have drug therapy. And this 266 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: is the point I want to talk about because Shannon 267 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: and I had this discussion Shannon Dolherty and I when 268 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: she came in and sat down with me. At that point, 269 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 1: I believe I was on year six of tomoxifin. So 270 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: tomoxifin is a drug that is offered to women who 271 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: have er positive breast cancer. So you're it's hormonally fueled, 272 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: and so the tomoxif in. I'm not again a medical scientist, 273 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: but the best way in Layman's term I can describe it, 274 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: the way I understand that it works is it suppresses 275 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: your estrogen. It suppresses those hormones that feed cancer cells. 276 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: And I remember my on college is telling me you 277 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: have to get chemo, but even more importantly, you have 278 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: to take tomoxivin. And it had just they had said 279 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: five years was the gold standard, and they had just 280 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: raised it to ten years. They want women to be 281 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: on this drug for ten years. So I'm forty and 282 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: now I'm going into forced menopause and all of the 283 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: things that come with that, the hot flashes, the joint pain, 284 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: the dry skin, the just there are so many negative 285 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: side effects that come from it. But at the time, 286 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: you know, my daughters were I had two little girls 287 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: who were seven and ten at the time when I 288 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: was diagnosed, and my oncologist told me right away, you 289 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: are out of the baby making business. And I had 290 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: been trying to have another child actually the whole year before. 291 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: So she said, thank god you didn't get pregnant, and 292 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: that really shook me. And you know to be told 293 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: you're out of the baby making business. I was lucky 294 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: enough to have already had two children. Shannon did not. 295 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 1: She was not in that same situation. And so when 296 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: she was then presented with these same options because we 297 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: had similar hormonally fueled cancers, she opted not to have 298 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: the demoxifin. She wanted to keep her options open. And 299 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: that's a very fair personal decision that every woman has 300 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: to make. But Shannon decided not to have tamoxifin. I 301 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 1: decided to have tomoxifin. No one will ever know if 302 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: one decision led to the next outcome, but I know 303 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: that that Shannon at the end regretted not taking the demoxofin, 304 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: and I remember when she told me that she was 305 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: not she decided not to take the tomoxfin I just 306 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: thought a mop in my throat because my friend Olivia, 307 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,919 Speaker 1: who I just mentioned earlier in this the beginning of 308 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 1: this podcast, who passed last November. She and I were 309 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: diagnosed again like she had an ER positive cancer. She 310 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:14,880 Speaker 1: was also staged two. It had traveled to her lymp notes. 311 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: Like me, she also opted. She started on the tomoxopin. 312 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: She's a professional dancer, she said her joints hurt too much, 313 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: and so she stopped taking it, and when her cancer 314 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: came back four years later, stage four metastatic, she said 315 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: to me, God, I wish I had stayed on that 316 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: tom oxivan. So it's just it's not fair. No one knows. 317 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: Olivia and Shannon could have stayed on to moxifin and 318 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,959 Speaker 1: been on to moxifin and they still may have had 319 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: the same outcome. But it's just worth mentioning that. It's 320 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: just I remember feeling, and I still feel to this 321 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: day that when you are a breast cancer patient, suddenly 322 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 1: all of these decisions are handed to you, and people 323 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: can tell you what they think, and they can tell 324 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,880 Speaker 1: you what the best advice they believe is. But ultimately 325 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: you go with your gut, you go with your heart, 326 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: and you make the choice. But that's a scary thing 327 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: because no one really knows what one decision leads to, 328 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: and you just have to make the best decision in 329 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: the moment. I know that's what Shannon did. That was 330 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: the best decision for her and her life in that 331 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: moment and what she wanted, and it was the best 332 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:24,399 Speaker 1: decision for Olivia in her life. I do know that 333 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:30,120 Speaker 1: I have made a lot of changes over the years 334 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: since I've been diagnosed with breast cancer, health choices. I 335 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: started running. I've always been a runner, but I OpEd 336 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: my game. It took me a couple of years. I 337 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: just don't want anyone to think somehow I got cancer 338 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: and then became a superwoman. I was at that point 339 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: I was writing a book, and I did write a book. 340 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,479 Speaker 1: If anyone would like to pick it up, it was 341 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 1: my book is called Better, and it was about how 342 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: my life has gotten better through this diagnose. It doesn't 343 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: mean it was easier, it doesn't mean it was less challenging, 344 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: but I was able to make better decisions, and so 345 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: many of my decisions, even my last decision to leave 346 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: my last marriage, was absolutely influenced by my cancer diagnosis. 347 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: Because people who have not just had cancer and lived 348 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: with cancer, but had any sort of life threatening situation 349 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: happened to them, and it happens almost at some point 350 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 1: to everyone, just depends on when it happens to you. 351 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: But you realize that the most precious thing in life, 352 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: and we all know this intellectually, but you realize it 353 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: on a cellular level that time. Time is the one 354 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: thing that we don't get back that we're not guaranteed, 355 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: and so how I spend my time and who I 356 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:52,160 Speaker 1: spend it with, and how I make my decisions, we're 357 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: all now funneled through that lens of time is precious 358 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: and it's not guaranteed. And you know it intimately when 359 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: you have had cancer and you are constantly or at 360 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 1: least feel like you're under the threat of it returning. 361 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: I think about it all the time. I think about 362 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: what I would do if it came back, who I 363 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: would tell, would I go public? And you know what, 364 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: I don't know the answer to that. I don't know 365 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,159 Speaker 1: that I would go public until I had to. I 366 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: don't know if I would want to be the face 367 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 1: of that the way I was even with early stage 368 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: press cancer. And so again I just give so much 369 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: credit to Shannon for allowing us on that journey with 370 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: her so that we could could be with her but 371 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: also learn from her and hopefully keep champ fighting and 372 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: being champions for her in the cause and the cure. 373 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:01,640 Speaker 1: And that's where my my focus is right now, because 374 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 1: I do try to balance my life in a much 375 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: different way, you know what I do, and I encourage 376 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: everyone to do this you don't have to have gone 377 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: through anything too significant yet to choose this. I choose fun. 378 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: I choose fun, I choose laughter. I wake up most 379 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: mornings and literally say to myself, how am I going 380 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: to have fun today? It doesn't have to be silly 381 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,959 Speaker 1: or inane or something. It's just it's a choice about 382 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: how you go through life and what your attitude is. 383 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: And yes, I have bad days where I am not 384 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: in the mood to have fun, but I do prioritize 385 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 1: fun in a way that I hadn't before. I prioritize 386 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: enjoyment of life. And that's why we're here. I believe 387 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 1: that's why we're here to love each other, to love ourselves, 388 00:21:54,640 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: and to learn and that can all happen with joy. 389 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 1: And that is the biggest lesson I learned. And I 390 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: know that. I know that this is such a sad 391 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: topic and a painful topic, and I think for that reason, 392 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,120 Speaker 1: a lot of people shy away from it. They shy 393 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: away from talking about it, and sometimes from even making appointments. 394 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: I have heard from women who say they have not 395 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 1: made their mammogram appointments, that they have not even made 396 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: doctor appointments because they don't want to know that ignorance 397 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: is bliss, that it's better to not have the test 398 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: and not be worried about it, and that to me, 399 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: I understand, I was that person. I would have waited 400 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: until I was fifty to have that mammogram. And I 401 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: honestly do not believe that I would be here talking 402 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: to you today if I hadn't been pushed literally into that, 403 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 1: Mamma Van. And so for anyone who was listening, and 404 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: if you're a man listening, tell this to the women 405 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: you love in your life. Ignorance is not bliss when 406 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: it comes to cancer. The earlier we find cancer, the 407 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: better chance we have of surviving it, period, end of story. 408 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: And so my daughters, the recommendation is for them to 409 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 1: have a mammogram ten years before their mom was first diagnosed. 410 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 1: So at thirty, my daughters are going to have their 411 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: baseline mammogram. And I had a slow growing cancer. So 412 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: I absolutely got breast cancer in my late thirties. And 413 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: that's a very very very scary thing and that should 414 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: not be happening. And so I change my diet, I 415 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: changed my lifestyle, I change my attitude. Those are the 416 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: three things that I had control of. I don't have 417 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 1: control of anything else. So yes, I run marathons. I've 418 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: left my game. Like I said, I work out at 419 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: least five days a week, I watch what I eat. 420 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: I've lessened my drinking, and I've lessened to my stress level. 421 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: I really think that's an important part of this, to 422 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: make sure that we take care of our mental health 423 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: along with our physical health, because I do think those 424 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: two are connected, and especially when it comes to cancer, 425 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: we can all do better at just relaxing and creating 426 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,680 Speaker 1: a real perspective in our lives. Is this going to 427 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: matter in five minutes, This is going to matter in 428 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 1: five years? And really put that to the test when 429 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: we try to recognize how we're reacting to life into problems. 430 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: And I do believe that every woman should get a 431 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: mammogram by the age of forty. And I do believe 432 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 1: that you should be able to have access to not 433 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: just a mammogram because you have dense breast tissue issues. 434 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: For a lot of women, so we need ultrasound opportunities, 435 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: three D mammograms, and all of the tests available to us. 436 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:51,200 Speaker 1: I just I'm imploring you who are listening to make 437 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: your appointments and take advantage of these life saving tests 438 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: that we have now. Mammograms are not perfect, and there 439 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: is no perfect test, but they're the best test we have, 440 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: and they certainly have saved countless lives. This is the truth. 441 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 1: Wherever in the world mimmography has been introduced, the death 442 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: rates from cancer have dropped. Period. Now it's again, it's 443 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: not there are can't There are women who have had 444 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 1: cancers that have gone undiagnosed or undetected by mammograms. So again, 445 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: they are not fool proof, but they are the best 446 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: test we have, and that is what I'm asking each 447 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: and every woman listening here today to take advantage of 448 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 1: because it's saved my life and I have been. When 449 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: I first started speaking publicly about my breast cancer, I 450 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: was taken to task by some people, especially those in 451 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 1: the metastatic community, who want there to be less of 452 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,400 Speaker 1: a focused on early detection and more of a focus 453 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: on raising funds to find a cure. And I fully, fully, 454 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 1: fully agree that both need to happen, and both need 455 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: to get equal time and equal press. That isn't the 456 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 1: case right now, But they have said to me, hey, 457 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: you know, you can't say that a mamma save your 458 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: life and technically they're right. I can't prove that a 459 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 1: mammogram saved my life, but I can tell you that 460 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 1: it gave me the best chance at surviving this insidious disease. 461 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,719 Speaker 1: It gave me the best chance of dying from something 462 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 1: else other than breast cancer, and that cannot be refuted. 463 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: So I just make that argument to anyone, and I'm 464 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: acknowledging that more needs to be done in terms of 465 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: research so that we have more tests and more ways 466 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 1: of detecting cancer. I am a huge advocate of that. 467 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:33,400 Speaker 1: And again I am a huge advocate of raising fund 468 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 1: Someone once told me there is a cure for cancer. 469 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: It's called cash, and so I implore everyone if you 470 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 1: have a charity that you love for me, it's BCRF 471 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: Breast Cancer Research Foundation. They do more. They are actually 472 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 1: a huge reason why demoxithin even exists, that drug that 473 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 1: I think is of course life saving or at least 474 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: I credit in part to saving my life or keeping 475 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: me in the health that I'm in today. That all 476 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 1: came from research, and any organization that funds research that 477 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: gets these scientists working together to collaborate to find a cure, 478 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: I am there for it. So we can all do 479 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 1: our part mentally, physically, and maybe even financially, but let's 480 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,479 Speaker 1: think about what we can do to honor Shannon's memory, 481 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,919 Speaker 1: to honor the women who are fighting right now, and 482 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 1: the women who don't even know they're about to receive 483 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: that diagnosis. And it happens every day in this country, 484 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: and more often than it should. But I just I 485 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: want everyone. I want to end on a positive note 486 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: because there are beautiful things that come out of dealing 487 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: with something so scary and so awful. And the number 488 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 1: one most important thing I learned is how to live 489 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: that you can be living but not really And Shannon, Shannon, 490 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to leave you with my favorite thing. And 491 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: I talk about this a lot. Shannon showed me the 492 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 1: most amazing, the most amazing cartoon that she said she 493 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 1: looked at almost every day, And I'll leave you with this. 494 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: It is Snoopy and it is Charlie Brown. And Charlie 495 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: Brown says, Yolo, Snoopy, and Snoopy says, you got it wrong. 496 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,679 Speaker 1: We don't only live once, we only die once. We 497 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: live every day and that is what I think of 498 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: every day. And I think of Shannon often because she's 499 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: the one who showed me that beautiful way to turn 500 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 1: Yolo around. Yeah, we only die once. We live every day. 501 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: I want to thank everyone for listening to this episode 502 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: of Let's Be Clear, and I want to thank the 503 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: producers for giving me the opportunity to share my experience 504 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: with Shannon, my experience with breast cancer, and I hope 505 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: that my story connected with some of you in a 506 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: meaningful way. And I also just want to let everyone know, 507 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: if you didn't know, please check out Amy and TJ. 508 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: We have a couple podcasts we drop every week, but 509 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: then every morning we have our Morning Run. So if 510 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: you want to have a quick twenty minute catch up 511 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: on the headlines before you head into work, or as 512 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 1: you're heading into work, or as you're dropping off the kids, 513 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: consider checking out Morning Run on the Amy and TJ podcast. 514 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: But until then, I hope you all have a wonderful 515 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 1: day and thank you for letting me share my story.