by Sara Harris, BHSc
Breasts and Breast health have been a hot topic in the media recently with Angelina Jolie’s radical move to have a double ‘preventative’ mastectomy and hailed a hero for doing so. It made me wonder – what is our relationship with our breasts and is there more that can be done before getting to this radical ‘preventative’ method? What exactly is the function of our breasts and how do they contribute to the rest of the body? Continue reading “Breast Health and Breast Care”
by Penny Scheenhouwer, 44 yrs old, Brisbane, Australia
I was 18 when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 42. Back then I thought of my mother as old. It was not until a few years ago that I realised how young she was for a first diagnosis and that I came to appreciate how valuable the lessons I learnt from my mother’s breast cancer really were. Continue reading “Responsibility for My Body and Health – The Lesson I learned From My Mother’s Breast Cancer”
by Judith McIntyre, Myocum, NSW, Australia
I heard about Esoteric Breast Massage after having breast cancer and consequently a mastectomy. Another woman who also had a mastectomy recommended it to me. She said the side of her chest that had surgery particularly responded to the tenderness that she experienced in the session. I was very curious. Continue reading “Rediscovering Tenderness Post Breast Cancer – Inspired by the Esoteric Breast Massage”
by Jane, UK
In recent months there has been a lot of media portrayal about preventive mastectomy (also known as prophylactic mastectomy or risk-reducing mastectomy) re-ignited by Angelina Jolie’s high profile decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.
I have been wondering about this subject as I am a woman and also someone who in the past has had breast health issues.
From my own experience over many years of making lifestyle choices that support me and in taking far more care of myself, I have found that my general health and well-being has improved immensely – so too has my overall health as a woman.
Could lifestyle choices possibly play a role in supporting the prevention of diseases such as breast cancer? Continue reading “Lifestyle Choices and Breast Cancer Prevention”
by Luz Helena Hincapie, Colombia
I walked most of my life being un-aware of how hypersensitive I was and I still tend to be. Why? On one hand, I was very closed off to my feelings and my inner world and on the other hand mainly because I never wanted to ACCEPT being like that. People (especially women) that I used to judge as hypersensitive put me off. I saw them as weak, shy, as the shadow of someone else, not able to speak out, hiding and uninteresting. My ideals of a great personality were to be outgoing, super-confident, funny, smart and popular. I tried very hard to have all those qualities. Continue reading “Is Sensitivity a Weakness or a Strength? Dealing with the Insecurities of a Hyper-sensitive Woman”
by Fiona McGovern, BA PGCE, Isle of Arran, Scotland
For some months now, when I lay in bed or in a warm bath I have been holding my right breast, the one where the cancerous tumor is… the tissue is softening around the tumor.
At first I expected to feel something, waiting to feel that womanliness I had always missed. I wanted to feel something grand or perhaps simply warmth – but in truth there was nothing. What I was feeling was the deep level of disconnection I had to me and to me as a woman. Continue reading “My Right Breast – Finding Me Beneath the Cancer”
by Anonymous
I had my first routine breast exam with my GP around the age of 25. This experience was incredibly traumatic for me despite the fact that my lovely doctor carried out the exam in a very gentle, caring and respectful way. As my doctor carried out the exam I completely left my body; I felt like bursting into tears as deep feelings of shame and humiliation consumed me. I decided that I would rather have undetected breast cancer than put myself through something so horrible ever again, and that my first breast exam would also be my very last. Continue reading “Esoteric Breast Massage – Opening up a Relationship with My Breasts”
by Rosie Bason, Mullumbimby, NSW, Australia
I realised yesterday after having an Esoteric Breast Massage (EBM) that I have accepted abuse in my life in so many ways, even when my body feels anxiety, being invaded or uncomfortable I have learnt a way to deal with it and not realised or accepted that it is a form of abuse. Continue reading “Esoteric Breast Massage – Helping me with Anxiety”
by Eunice J Minford MA FRCS Ed, Consultant Surgeon, N. Ireland
The world’s media was recently focussed on Angelina Jolie and her decision to have a prophylactic or preventative bilateral mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer. Some celebrated her bravery and courage in being so open with her decision, and for taking the decision in the first place. Many felt it would help other women going through the same dilemma to see a leading world actress, renowned for her beauty and sexuality, undergo such a major operation. Others were critical of her decision, calling it ‘fearful’ rather than brave and that there were other options available.
I interviewed a breast surgeon who performs bilateral preventative mastectomy with immediate reconstruction to hear more on this controversial area: Continue reading “Preventative Bilateral Mastectomy with Immediate Reconstruction”
by Anonymous
CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE
When I was 7 years old my mum’s then boyfriend sexually abused me. I told mum at the time and her response was… “He was only trying to make you feel good”. I never spoke of the event again until I was 18. Continue reading “Childhood Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual Relationships”
