For anyone who has ever discovered a lump in their breast or noticed some sort of physical change in the appearance of their breast or the area around it, the first thought that crosses the mind is that it must be cancer. And it may be or it might not be. But, what you do from this moment forward may become a matter of life and death

If this is the first time that you have noticed something different, you may want to do a bit of research at a site that can provide you with some immediate answers about the possibilities of what your findings may indicate. If nothing else, it might help you focus on the possibility that it might be something other than cancer. But, your next step should be to immediately contact your doctor’s office and let them know what you have found so that an appointment can be made to allow for your primary care physician to assess their findings and make the appropriate recommendations for further testing based upon their experience and your medical history. Knowing that this is not the first time that your doctor has dealt with a patient with breast issues will hopefully help to calm your fears by knowing that what you need will be based upon the direction of an experienced medical professional.

Please know that if your first choice is not to contact your doctor, you are not alone. You may have medical coverage but find yourself to be so fearful of what you may learn that you are paralyzed in acting in what would normally be your thoughtful and rational manner. I have spoken to many women who know that there is a history of breast cancer in their family and assumed that they would also become an additional victim. And if they may have lost family members to breast cancer in the past, it becomes difficult to explain to them how diagnoses and treatments have changed and evolved over the years and that the most important thing to do is to get your answers as soon as possible. After all, it may very well turn out to be nothing of concern so why put yourself through endless days, months and even years fearing something that doesn’t exist.

If you do not have medical coverage, please do not allow that fact to keep you from seeking professional help. More than likely, you already know of a clinic or facility where you have gone in the past to seek other medical treatment when needed and you should seek assistance and direction from the professionals there. If you are not familiar with such a facility in your area, ask your friends or associates or church members or your children’s school nurse for help. There is help available if you are willing to seek it out.

Sadly, there are those who won’t seek help because they do not feel that they are in a position to do so. It may be that they are a single parent or the only financial contributor to the household and need to keep working every day in order to feed their children and pay the bills. The fear is that if they take off work to deal with a potential diagnosis of cancer, they will lose their jobs and their income. So they decide to keep going as long as possible in the hope that it isn’t cancer and/or that they can survive long enough for someone else to be able to take over the financial responsibilities for the others. But, what they fail to consider is what will happen if they are wrong, especially if their small children become orphans.

The bottom line is that no matter your circumstances, if you find a lump or some other unusual change in your breast or breast area, you need to seek immediate medical attention. The sooner that you know with what you are dealing, the better your decision-making options will be. It is also important to know that there is always help available. Those in your medical group, your family, your neighborhood, your workplace and every other community of which you are a part will step forward to help you in any way that they can. The human spirit is indomitable and there will always be those who will step forward to help whenever someone is in need. Regardless of your situation, don’t be afraid to ask for help whether you just need someone to hold your hand on the way to your first doctor appointment or whether you have received a diagnosis of cancer that is totally devastating. You just need ask for what you need and know that you are never alone.

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