At 19 years old, being diagnosed with breast cancer is probably the furthest thing from a young woman’s mind.At 19 most girls are in their freshman or sophomore year of college. Time is spent figuring out what to declare a major in, which fraternity party to go to on Thursday night, deciding if you want to wake up for your 8 am class or avoiding and desperately trying to lose the “freshman 15.”

This was not the case 15 years ago for Cathy Demumbreum, a South Carolina native. At the age of 19, Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Cathy was just like any other freshman in college, except early one morning when in the shower she noticed a large lump on her breast.

Cathy was used to giving herself routine breast exams, but in this case she said it was not needed. Cathy says this time was different, “I didn’t have to do this because the lump was large, hard and could even be noticed just by sight when I raised my arm. It was also tender to the touch. It kind of felt like someone had elbowed me in the breast.”

At the time, she did not recall being overly concerned with the fact that she found a lump. The lump had appeared once before and she was told to cut out all caffeine for six weeks. So just like the time before Cathy followed the same orders.

“I almost had the attitude that if I didn’t think or talk about it, it would go away,” she recalled Six weeks came and went and the lump continued to grow. This was the point when Cathy told her mother about it and they scheduled an appointment with her OBGYN.

Most of us dread going to the OBGYN, just like we dread going to the dentist. It is an innate fear that boils deep down within us. Whether we are born with this fear or it develops over time is a mystery. It might have something to do with the constant poking and prodding or being so intimate with a complete stranger.

The day Cathy saw the OBGYN she was immediately sent to a surgeon. The surgeon performed a needle biopsy and then sent her for a mammogram. Both the mammogram and the biopsy came back normal.

Cathy recalls, “Everyone kept telling me there was no way I could have breast cancer at age 19! Luckily, I was blessed with a skilled surgeon who did not feel that a 7-centimeter lump was normal in a 19-year-old’s breast.”

Her surgeon suggested a lumpectomy to be performed a week later. “I had the lumpectomy as outpatient surgery and went home to recover. I received a call the next morning from the surgeon asking us to come into the office. We were informed that the back side of the lump was cancer, a rare kind called a sarcoma that is very aggressive. I remember thinking I may never have any of my dreams: graduate from college, have a career, get married or see my parents’ face the first time they see their grandchildren. I was told that treatment would be aggressive: surgery, radiation and chemo just for starters. I was told that I needed to have a radical, modified mastectomy and that if I did not have the surgery that I probably would not live a year. I had the surgery the next day.”

After Cathy’s surgery, she went through radiation five days a week for three months and then underwent 20 treatments of chemotherapy.

Cathy’s advice to women in their 20s and 30s? “Do self exams. Know your body! I cannot tell you the number of women that I have spoken with that do not. Early detection is the key! If you find a lump, do not allow someone to tell you that it cannot be cancer because of your age. Get a second, third or fourth opinion. Make sure the lump is being looked at and not your age. Cancer doesn’t know your age!”

After reading Cathy’s story, you might be wondering how to perform a self-breast examination. According to the National Breast Cancer Organization, 70 percent of breast cancer is found through self exams. Breast examination takes no more than five minutes of your time each month. You can perform these in the shower while practicing for “American Idol,” in the mirror when getting ready or laying down in bed while watching “Chelsea Lately.” Easy to say, you can pretty much perform these anywhere, so just do it!

How to Perform a Self-Brest Examination

Standing up:

Put one hand behind your head and use your other hand, with finger flat and together, to gently massage over your breast. You are checking for any lumps, knots or thickening.

Lying down:

Lying down allows for the breast tissue to spread out evenly and thin. This might not be ideal when with a lover, because you feel like your boobs go to the sides and you look flatter. But in this case, it is better and easier to feel all of the breast tissue.

Put one hand behind your head and, using your fingers (flat and together), make circular motions while massaging your breast. Use pressure ranging from light to hard to make sure you are reaching all the tissue in the breast. According to cancer.org, “It is normal to feel a firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast, but you should tell your doctor if you feel anything else out of the ordinary.” 

In front of a mirror:

With your bra off, place your hands by your sides and look down. Make sure that there are no drastic changes in one’s size or shape. Check your breasts for dimpling or redness. As unappealing as this sounds, squeeze your nipple to check for any discharge and lumps. It might seem gross, but it also might save your life.

When should you start performing routine self-breast exams? NOW! Like Cathy said, you need to know your body, and cancer does not care how old you are. Doctors advise scheduling routine clinical breast exams in your 20s and 30s, but it does not hurt for you to go ahead and perform these exams on yourself, regardless of your age. Around the age of 40 you should schedule your first mammogram and, if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, it is advised to schedule your first mammogram around the age of 35.

Looking back on her life, Kathy says, “I am healthy and 15 years cancer free, married and have two beautiful and healthy children. Many people have asked, ‘Why did God do this to you?’ I have never asked this question and never will! God has a plan for each of us. If I could change anything about my life it would never be that I had breast cancer! I have influenced so many people because of my personal experience with this disease. Breast cancer was just a wrinkle in my gift wrapping called life!”

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