Cancer survivors urge women to learn about breast density and impact on early detection
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As we focus on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we have a powerful story of sisterhood and survival.
At the Paint the Lake Pink Walk in north suburban Lake Zurich, honoring loved ones is just as important as raising awareness.
Susanne DePaepe recently visited her sister Patty, who is in hospice care, nearing the end of a 30-year fight with breast cancer.
"She's my second oldest sister, so she took care of me since I was a baby," Susanne said. "I like to bring things to make her laugh. ... and I'll be wearing my little polar bear jammies."
Susanne herself is also a breast cancer survivor; hers was caught early in 2023. She's now cancer free.
Both sisters have dense breasts. Initially, neither knew its significance – the denser the breast, the harder it is to detect breast cancer with a mammogram alone.
The reason is dense breast tissue on a mammogram is white. Cancer also appears white on a mammogram. Therefore, the more dense tissue you have, the more difficult it is for the mammogram to find the cancer.
"She said to me the other day, 'I don't know how to die. Why am I still here?' And I'm like, 'I don't know, because I can't really tell you how to die,'" Susanne said. "I think maybe her cancer wouldn't have come back had they had caught it earlier."
Before heading to her sister's side, Susanne made an important stop at the Paint the Lake Pink Walk in Lake Zurich, where she filled out a walk bib to honor Patty, and handed it off to fellow survivor Caryn Skomer Hammond, who's also just won her own battle against breast cancer.
"Last year at this time, I couldn't have done this walk, and I'm just so happy to be able to celebrate with all my people today," Caryn said. "This is a terrible, terrible disease, and we need more research. We need all sorts of things, and walks like this will benefit the Pattys and everyone else going forward.
Together, they're raising awareness through My Density Matters, an organization devoted to educating women about breast density and the importance of early detection.
"No one is immune to the risks of breast cancer. If you're a woman 40 years of age or older, please get an annual mammogram; and if your mammogram shows dense breast tissue, please get a supplemental image beyond a mammogram," Dr. Barry Rosen said.
Knowing your breast density is vital. You're either A, B, C or D, with D being the most dense. Make sure after your next mammogram you are aware of this important information. FDA regulations now require all mammogram reports to include a breast density assessment.
For more information on reading your test and more, head to mydensitymatters.org.
