Breast cancer sufferers shared their experiences yesterday about one of the most commonly occurring cancers among women today, saying that with early diagnosis, social support and a positive outlook, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the many women who suffer from this terrible disease.
According to 2002 Department of Health (DOH) statistics, aside from ranking No. 1 among the most commonly occurring forms of cancer in women, breast cancer was also one of the cancers to have seen the steepest increase in cases between 1998 and 2002, at 24.4 percent.
"In 2004, 1,339 women died of breast cancer, which accounted for 10.29 percent of all cancer cases," said Wu jun-ming (吳浚明), head of the Bureau of Health Promotion.
Lily Shen (沈臨玲), from the Taichung Kaihuai Association, a non profit organization for breast-cancer survivors, said that social support and an emotional outlet were vital.
"Many women can't seem to shake themselves out of it. They don't dare to go out. And some women have very distorted beliefs. For example, in Buddhism, some believe that cancer is a punishment for doing bad deeds in a previous life. Friends and family are very important at this time," she said.
Asked how breast cancer affects one's perception of their own femininity, she said, "Can you imagine? A woman's breasts are the ultimate symbol of her femininity. Also, when patients undergo chemotherapy, they lose their hair. It is as though they lose all that's feminine about them."
She said she dared not look in the mirror after she first had a partial mastectomy. With about a quarter of her breast removed she said that her breasts were "lopsided" and she felt "ugly."
"At this point, what is the most important are support and encouragement from your partner or spouse. They need to let you know they can overcome your physical changes and love you for who you are," she said.
Since then she has more than come to terms with her illness and said that what really matters is the spiritual being, not physical appearance.
"I agree with something a doctor once said to me, which was that if you undergo breast reconstruction it should be for yourself, not anybody else."
She advised women to "treat yourself a little bit better," saying that as a working mother, she had been burning the candle at both ends when she was diagnosed with cancer eight years ago.
She emphasized the importance of early diagnosis saying, "Women over 35 should get regular check ups. If you find a lump, go to the doctor immediately. The world isn't going to fall apart," she said.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese