Katie Thurston of Bachelorette fame (season 25 of the Bachelor and 17 of the Bachelorette) announced last week she has been diagnosed with tripe positive, also known as ER+, PR+, HER2+ breast cancer. She is just 34 and recently announced that her cancer has spread to her liver and she is now Stage 4.
What does Katie’s diagnosis and story, which she vulnerably shares with the world, tell us?
Young women get breast cancer
Breast cancer, as I’ve come to understand, does not discriminate. It doesn’t care if you’re male or female, young or old, a supermodel or a homebody. The belief that breast cancer is a disease that only affects older women is a disconcerting misconception. This disease can target young women too, irrespective of their lifestyle or their family’s medical history.
We don’t know why, but evidence shows that women are being diagnosed at an earlier age with breast cancer.
In the photo essay Not Too Young, co produced with Dense Breasts Canada and photographer Hilary Gauld, we profiled the images and stories of 10 women, all diagnose under the age of 40.
They were far too young to be drawn into this battle. It’s alarming that younger women, even those in their 20s, are not immune to this disease, contrary to popular belief.
Katie Thurston admits you can’t ignore even small signs
Katie Thurston shared that her first warning sign was a soreness in her breast, which she chalked up to PMS or exercise. Breast cancer doesn’t always present as a lump. There are actually 12 different warning signs. Katie has said she was lulled into complacency, delayed medial attention and as a result breast cancer has spread to her lymph nodes and liver and is now stage 4.
Knowledge, self-awareness, and being proactive, and not reactive, are keys to maintaining breast health. It begins with understanding the risks and knowing your body. Self-exams, mammograms, and staying vigilant are instrumental in early detection, increasing the chances of survival and potentially sparing young women like Katie Thurston the trauma and hardship of a breast cancer diagnosis.
The financial burden of breast cancer is very real
Katie is a Bachelorette and well-known, but she is not wealthy. She and her partner are graining with a cancer diagnosis, moving cities, have to make immediate decisions about egg harvesting to preserve their fertility, all while undergoing a battery of diagnostic tests – all with hefty price tags. She has written about her financial concerns, and her battles with insurers. The issues around financial toxicity aren’t discussed widely enough. But cancer takes a very real toll on the pocketbook and for single women, lower-income individuals it can have a long-lasting crippling effect.
Young women worldwide, my message to you is to prioritize your health. Make a pact to be the custodian of your well-being, to become familiar with the signs and to seek immediate attention when something feels amiss. Remember, only through awareness can we ensure that the power remains in our hands.
See my video talking about Katie’s diagnosis here.
Follow along with Katie here.
A YouTube short from me talking about Katie’s news that she is now Stage 4.
