Peggie Jimenez is a prime example of a thriving Latina who is a survivor of breast cancer. At the age of 16 she started visiting Planned Parenthood where she was educated on breast cancer and how to perform self exams. Years later, at age 34, she discovered something was wrong. "Since I had been doing self-exams regularly for years, thanks to the education Planned Parenthood had given me, I knew what my breasts normally felt like--and I knew this was not normal. For a few days, I kept poking at it. I knew that this lump had not been there before. I was lucky to catch the cancer early."
Stories like Peggie's demonstrate how important it is to be aware of how your breast normally look and feel. Simply looking at, touching, and feeling your breasts from time to time is enough to help you notice any changes. If you notice any changes in your breast, you should have it checked out by a health care provider as soon as possible.
This allows early cancer detection, when the cancer is most treatable. By learning this skill at Planned Parenthood as a teen, Peggie was able to spot that something was not right and seek treatment at the early stage of her breast cancer.
Peggie says that after she learned from her doctor at Planned Parenthood how to do self breast exams and that her breast tissue was fibrocystic, which makes it harder to detect lumps, she became vigilant about her self-breast exams and breast health. "I had come so far already, and there was no way I was going to let something like breast cancer derail my plans."
In Peggie's own words, "many parts of my life may not have happened had it not been for what I learned at Planned Parenthood."
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Latinas. Latinas are 20 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women. Every year, more than 1,000 Latinas in New York City are diagnosed with breast cancer, and every year nearly 200 Latinas in the city die from the disease. That's why early detection, intervention and treatment are absolutely essential.
Planned Parenthood understands the risk the Latino community faces and is committed to providing access to comprehensive health care to all people who walk through our doors, regardless of age, income or immigration status. Last year, more than 575,000 Latinos visited the approximately 700 Planned Parenthood health care centers across the country.
In addition to being aware of how your breasts normally look and feel, regular clinical screenings can also detect breast cancer early allowing individuals to get much-needed treatments immediately.
Finding out your family's health history can also help. If a family member has been diagnosed with breast cancer, that could mean that you have an increased risk.
I know this all too well. In my own family, my cousin was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and a few years ago, another cousin lost her battle after a very courageous fight. As a family we are well aware of the impact of breast cancer and also take into account its consequences on our family and friends. Another good friend of mine was diagnosed in her 40s. Therefore it's not solely about being Latina but knowing that, although breast cancer rates are high among Latinas, anyone regardless of age, ethnicity, income, and even gender could be diagnosed with breast cancer. And most people diagnosed with breast cancer actually do not have a family history, making screenings all the more important.
Planned Parenthood of New York City and other Planned Parenthood health centers across the country provide a total of 750,000 breast cancer screenings each year. Planned Parenthood is dedicated to providing all people with the knowledge, health care and services that they need to protect themselves and live healthy lives.