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October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as one of millions of breast cancer survivors across the country, I wanted to take a few moments to share some thoughts with the BlogHer community regarding my experiences battling the disease and—more importantly—what I learned along the way.
Many BlogHers will remember me from my campaign-time blogging here last year. Many of you will also be aware that I am considering a run for the U.S. Senate in California. What you might not know is that it was just about eight months ago to the day that I was diagnosed with breast cancer—the same day, in fact, of the California Republican Party Convention in Sacramento, something I was determined to attend despite the shocking news I had heard just hours before. Thus began my fight against the disease—one that culminated earlier this month when I finished my last round of radiation treatment and joyfully listened to my doctor give me the all clear.
Battling cancer has not been easy—nor is it for the millions of women who are fighting it today. Most of us who have been diagnosed with it fight it while still pursuing our careers, caring for our families, and devoting every second we possibly can to them. As women, we are often prone to putting too much on our plates and undertaking nearly impossible feats of juggling and hard-to-execute balancing acts. With cancer, that gets tougher. But oddly, it can become all the more important. As a survivor, I can say that as I beat back the illness, I not only got my physical energy back; I also developed a fresh sense of purpose, a renewed vitality, and a profound, deepened sense of gratitude for my family, my friends, and my community. It is not an exaggeration to say that surviving something like this changes your perspective in deep, and hard-to-quantify ways. For me, that has meant a reassessment and reappraisal of my goals as a woman and as a citizen--and considering new opportunities with relish and zeal.
Of course, many women will not have that opportunity—breast cancer isn’t easy to beat, especially where it is not diagnosed early, or treated quickly or aggressively enough. That is why the work of countless charities such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is so vital, and why every awareness-raising effort, from reminding female friends and family members not to forget that all-important exam or mammogram, to cancer survivors sharing their experiences through sites just like this one, is critical. Together, we can do much to beat this disease, and I would urge each one of you to get involved. I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity to do so myself, and I hope other BlogHers will join me.
Carly Fiorina is one of the world’s leading businesswomen and a wife, mother, and grandmother.
