A Designer’s Scar: Breast Cancer Awareness
I never imagined that I would be
come a cancer patient and ultimately end up a survivor. After all, I was young, healthy, in top shape, and was busy preparing to compete in the NPC Northern Kentucky Beverly International which was one of the largest amateur bodybuilding and fitness competitions in the US.
I had just landed a dream job in advertising sales with lots of upside potential and I was at the prime of life or at least I thought so until a mysterious lump changed everything. Unfortunately, according to statistics one in every eight females will end up with an unfortunate diagnosis because cancer does not discriminate and more young women are being affected. This is no longer an "older woman’s" disease.
The fourth year medical students and interns were busy checking out the incision that was on the right side of my chest and under my arm from recent cancer surgery, while a team of radiation oncologists were busy writing on my chest and adding stickers with various symbols so I could receive radiation treatments for the next seven grueling weeks.
I looked like I was in a tattoo parlor with all of the purple markings except for the fact that the numbers and writing didn't look like anything artsy. I asked if I could still go to the gym and train and I was informed that would be okay as long as I didn't overdo it. The medical students and interns recognized the fresh scar on my chest as being the works of the highly skilled breast surgeon, Dr. Kathleen Erb. We even joked about the incision being a "designer’s scar," because they recognized the doctor’s clean incision lines that clearly demonstrate the skill of combining both science and art.
I was training hard to compete in the Figure division and was part of a team of competitors called Body Armor. After the initial cancer diagnosis I went nuts in the gym and trained harder than ever. I even attended the Arnold Expo in Columbus, Ohio, and competed in the USMC Men's Fitness Challenge just three weeks before my cancer surgery!
Everyone thoug![DSCF0067 copy[1]](/images/stories/Rx%20Girl/RX%20Girl%20Articles/designer%20scar/DSCF0067_copy[1].jpg)
ht I lost it because I was informed that life as I knew it was over. I refused to accept that and once I was through treatment and was healed, I stepped onto the stage for the first time and placed 5th at the NPC Mid-Atlantic Grand Prix! I also trained even harder than ever and made it to the NPC Northern Kentucky Beverly International show and placed 5th and placed 4th in another show after.
No one could believe that I was a cancer survivor and still, technically, a cancer patient. I even joked about having a, “designer scar,” on my chest to the other competitors. I would love to do some fitness modeling and use my own experience to motivate, inspire, and encourage others that have suffered from cancer, any devastating illness, or have family or friends who are going through the same.
People today are looking for positive motivation and I'm about to offer a healthy dose of that. Cancer does not have to be life threatening, but for some, yes, their lives will be altered. There is a program called "look good, feel good." They have a make-up artist show the ladies how to use make-up during chemo and radiation treatments due to hair loss and changes in your skin.
This program tries to rebuild the self-esteem for these patients by giving them beauty products, skin care tips, and close to several hundred dollars’ worth of cosmetics. Unfortunately, too many women will be on the receiving end of having a “designer’s scar” due to breast cancer. I have a motivational eBook and t-shirts that will soon be available on my blog and Facebook business page. You can check them out at http://www.fitsurvivor.com/ and Fitsurvivor Facebook at http://x.co/1cERk
Hopefully, thanks to early detection and advances in medicine we can prevent too many more “designer’s scars” from happening. No one really understands how a serious illness can devastate your life and or your family’s life unless it happens to them. It can impact so many things such as finances, career, marriage, children and future decisions that one will have to make.
Thankfully, I didn't go through chemo treatments and that was a concern because in professional sales one’s appearance is very important in order to achieve that first impression. Of course, the important thing to remember is the fact that there is more to a person then just their looks. We should naturally try to look our best; however, there is something to be said about inner beauty, and strength of character.
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