Honorary Survivor Chair 2008

Pam Knutson

Baxter, Retired Teacher

Her Story

 

In 1977, I felt a small lump, but my annual mammogram showed no change from the previous year.  One year and five months into retirement, I felt something “was going on” in the same area.  A mammogram again showed nothing definite, but a biopsy indicated it was invasive breast cancer.  Four days later I had a mastectomy and began the physical and mental post-cancer recovery.

 

Two years later, my son was diagnosed with breast cancer, though many had thought he was too young.  His diagnosis was a certain sign to me that we had the BRCA2 mutation.  Genetic testing proved my beliefs to be true, and also that it had been passed down through my father’s family.   Many people falsely believe that it is passed down only through female relatives.

 

Just as Nancy Brinker promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything she could to try to rid the world of breast cancer, we have promised our son, Brad, the we will do everything we cancer to make all people, men and women, aware of the warning signs of breast cancer.  Early detection is the key to survival.

Pam Knutson