On
27th November 2001 at 44 years, Debbie, wife and mother of three
young children, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
She was 44 years of age with no family history of Breast Cancer, (which
is 90% of women who get Breast Cancer), having no obvious risk factors, except
the greatest risk factor – that being a woman.
In
December 2001 Debbie had a mastectomy, removing 8 malignant tumours.
The cancer had spread to her chest wall and a lymph node.
In January 2002 she began three months of chemotherapy and that was
followed by six weeks of radiotherapy.
Debbie
is now on the Breast Cancer drug Tamoxifen for 5 years.
This
too could have been a different story.
Had Debbie had a screening mammogram at 40 years and the cancer found,
the need for such radical surgery and chemotherapy would have not been
necessary.
Debbie’s future prognosis would be so much better.
The
cost to treat patients like Debbie is huge, versus the cost of a regular
mammogram.
There is huge social upheaval and loss of productive contribution to the
economy from younger women in a Society with an aging population.
It makes no sense not to invest to preserve those of an age who
contribute productively and have more life years.