Testimonies - I Am Second - Janelle Hail - February Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Thirty-two years have passed since Janelle first encountered breast cancer. She was 34 years old, married, and the mother of three young sons. Facing breast cancer in 1980 was not easy for women, since there was little information available for women about their healthcare. There was no internet, and a woman had to rely completely on whatever her doctor told her. That is, if she was careful enough to go to the doctor for regular checkups, as Janelle was. Janelle discovered a lump in her breast as a result of training on self-exams from her health class in Junior High School. Years later, she remembered the technique and immediately went to the doctor when she realized the lump would not go away on its own. The result was an early diagnosis of breast cancer, which led to a mastectomy. Janelle attributes her survival to early detection.

While in the hospital dealing with the experience of her own breast cancer dilemma, she became acutely aware of the lack of information made available to patients. Why should any woman ever have to make such a life-changing decision without knowing her options? she thought. The seed of caring for others was grafted into her heart at this crucial moment in her life.

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