The ABC on MBC

Living gratefully today, I acknowledge my current good fortune to be NED (no evidence of disease) in terms of cancer in my body.  I humbly accept the gift of today.

Today is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. In the middle of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, awash in pink and lots of products to purchase, a day is given to the deadly advanced disease and the toll it takes. It doesn’t seem like much, or nearly enough. But it is something.

MBC remains misunderstood and underrepresented in the dollars and research needed. And it remains the disease that killed my sister Mary Jo almost 16 months ago. Here’s my ABC on MBC: 

ACHE The ache of grief and sorrow as I look back on Mary Jo’s path in life once a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer was confirmed. Several attempts at treatment. Side effects from that, but more glaringly the pain and devastation, physical and beyond, caused as the disease advanced to various parts of her body. The ache of all she left behind. 

BRAVE How very brave and strong all with MBC are. Some survive years before succumbing. There is no cure. MBC patients live their remaining days with lots of uncertainty and physical, mental, and emotional anguish. 

COST The cost I refer to here is the human cost. The victims of MBC and their families, friends, co-workers, medical teams. The annual death toll of 40,000 in the U.S. is a tremendous loss. There is no way to put a value on such loss. 

Here is last year's post. In it there are further links to explore if you would like to learn more and do more about this "lost" cause.

Today, I will be thinking of my sister Mary Jo and all who have died of MBC. This is in honor of them.