Melanin & Pink Ribbons

One of the treatments for breast cancer is radiation. In the simplest terms, radiation is a high-energy light that is invisible to the naked eye but is focused on the site of cancerous cells. The radiation destroys the cancer cells over time, therefore ridding the body of the mass.  As effective as it can be it is not foolproof, and it can have negative side effects. It must be noted side effects even negative ones arguably are a worthy tradeoff when compared to living or not. Each patient is different but as a Survivor, the symptoms listed below (in no particular order) are what I and many others have experienced. This list is not meant to be exhaustive but informative. It is my position to eradicate the stigma surrounding breast cancer and increase awareness in the Black community we must talk about breast health and early detection.

• Fatigue
• Swelling at the Radiation Site
• Pain
• Darkened Skin
• Breakdown of the skin at radiation site that can lead to broken skin
• Tenderness of the breast and armpit
• Loss of hair in the armpit

Take this information as an empowerment tool for yourself and or another lady on the breast cancer journey. The more you know hopefully the less fear and more of an advocate you can become. Remember early detection saves lives!

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