National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Today, October 13, is National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

I don't do "pink." Many of my breast cancer warrior sisters find comfort in the many pink things that you can find in October. And that's okay!  That's good (for them). I just don't feel anything but uncomfortable about all the pink stuff.

But one day in October is devoted to my metastatic sisters. And that I will recognize.

"Breast cancer" doesn't kill. Metastatic breast cancer kills. There is no cure for MBC. And there is ridiculously low financial investment in MBC research. 

MBC is when the breast cancer appears somewhere outside of the breast. The most common places are bones, brain, liver and lungs. MBC is Stage IV. As I once read, there is no Stage V. There are treatments for MBC, but there are no cures. 5-year survival rates for MBC are 22% (Stage 1 is currently over 99%)

Between 20 and 30% of those initially diagnosed with early stage breast cancer will develop metastatic disease--which can occur 2, 5, 10, 15 or more years after original diagnosis.  In addition, 8% of breast cancer patients are initially diagnosed metastatic.

There are some characteristics that make breast cancer more likely to metastasize, but (as with an original diagnosis), most of it is just bad luck. No matter how hard a woman "fights," she may still get MBC.

An amazing, inspiring, smart friend of mine (who has "fought" harder than anyone I know--see? doesn't correlate) has MBC. Her story is told through her blog: Left Boob Gone Rogue. I know others, as the breast cancer sisterhood is definitely a big one. Their stories are sometimes hard to read, but they deserve to be heard. I encourage you to do so. 

Before my diagnosis, I didn't know the difference between "breast cancer" and "MBC." It is my hope that anyone reading my blog will now understand the difference. 

And if you want to donate to a breast cancer cause, may I suggest Metavivor? 100% of the money donated goes directly to grants for MBC research.