I’m So Proud of My Tumor

News released last week announced that researchers had identified some pretty amazing new stuff. The study, called the Cancer Genome Atlas,  identified genetic aspects of breast cancer, using 825 actual cancerous tumors. Hmmm ….

Just before my mastectomy last year, a hospital representative asked me if I’d be willing to donate my tumor, and the boob surrounding it, to research. Sure, I said. Not like I need it. She assured me it would all be disposed of respectfully. What did that mean? It wasn’t as if the tumor was respecting me – it was trying to kill me.

Now I’m thinking my tumor and I came together for a reason. I had a particularly fast growing breast cancer, one usually diagnosed in young, African American women. I am neither of those and that made for good study material. Not saying I’m thrilled to have had this experience, but it clearly happened for a reason.

I sure hope my tumor did me proud.