October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but for me, this is a month for reflection on my life.
I am the fourth daughter of five girls to my parents, Alonzo and Karen Hense. We have always been a very close-knit family. In 2005, my oldest sister Kimberly was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was unexpected, since breast cancer does not run in our family.
After her diagnosis, Kim followed the instructions given to her by her team of doctors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She did not drink or smoke. They instructed her on her diet and lifestyle. Along with chemotherapy and radiation, she changed her diet and became more physically active.
Studies have shown that black women with breast cancer have a higher mortality rate compared to women of other races. However, an active lifestyle, healthy diet, and annual screenings and mammograms can greatly improve a person’s chance of survival. Annual woman wellness check-ups, screenings and mammograms are preventative measures that benefit our health.
Studies have also shown that a change in our diet, such as including flax seed and omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, along with drinking more water for hydration, will improve our health. You may read this and think it’s simple, but yes, hydration is a factor.
Also, you should exercise, whether you are someone with a gym membership or just taking a walk around the neighborhood or park. Getting out of a sedentary lifestyle could add years to your life.
Last but not least, cherish rest and relaxation. Are you the type of person who rarely has any time for yourself after a long day of working and tending to your family and others? R&R is the prescription for you. Take some time out for yourself and rest. Clear your mind of the next chore or task, and relax.
You have to make time for you. After you have done all you can by the end of the day, then get some rest. If you begin an exercise regimen, you will discover, as I did, that exercise will make you want to rest.
My sister battled with Stage 4 breast cancer until three years ago. It was Kim’s second and final battle with the awful disease that spread from her breast into her lymph nodes until it aggressively took over.
For those who are fighting cancer, keep a good attitude. This will be needed on those days of receiving treatments. For those who, like me, had a loved one succumb to cancer, your health, like mine, will greatly benefit by taking steps toward a lifestyle of wellness that includes healthy eating, exercise, regular check-ups, annual screenings and mammograms.
Please, take care. Kim would want you to.
