A Lovely Honor from the Dr. Susan Love Foundation
When I opened my Instagram DMs in September 2022, I was floored to see a message from the Dr. Susan Love Foundation to me! I looked at the message a few times and blinked in amazement. Were they really messaging me?
To my great surprise, they selected me as one of their Breast Cancer Awareness Month influencers for October 2022. My heart pounded, my hands got sweaty, and my mind raced. This highly influential and impactful foundation had noticed what I was doing in the DCIS patient advocacy space and wanted to highlight it as a part of their BCAM campaign in 2022.
As a part of the campaign, they wanted to get to know me better to include me on the page highlighting all of the influencers they’d selected for 2022.
What a LOVEly honor!
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Influencers 2022
I was amazed at the diversity of experiences and perspectives of the breast cancer influencers chosen in 2022. During each week of BCAM, we were highlighted, and our “Get to Know us” page was shared. One of the things that impressed me was how varied all of our treatment and diagnosis experiences were. Breast cancer isn’t one disease with one treatment pathway for all.
When I was diagnosed, I longed to get to know someone with the same experience as I. Features such as this one, sharing a diverse collection of people impacted by breast cancer, help us feel included in the community and feel supported during our journey.
I invite you to get to know the other advocates highlighted in October 2022.
You can visit my page here.
The Difficulty of BCAM 2022
BCAM 2022 was hard for me. It was because I was in the middle of reliving my own DCIS experience by revising my manuscript. Each day I read more, edited, and felt all those emotions again. I was back in a place of fear and the unknown.
When I stopped revising the manuscript, I went on social media. There I saw nothing but BCAM messaging. That was tough. So, I pulled back, cared for myself, and allowed others, like the foundation, to advocate.
The encouragement box from the Dr. Susan Love Foundation arrived just in time. As I opened the box full of gifts, I smiled. This was a way I could share the foundation’s mission and feel supported along the way. The soft t-shirt, hat, bag, and other swag made me feel part of something much larger than myself. I feel honored and encouraged when I put them on, and grateful that the Dr. Susan Love foundation cares about patients like me.
Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book
Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book (affiliate link) was one of the most helpful books I read during my breast cancer journey. It was full of excellent and well-researched information about all aspects of my diagnosis and treatment. Because of the information in the book, I could enter my appointments educated and ready for the next steps. Then, when I needed more information, I could head to the foundation website and learn what I needed for the next step in the process. I admired the foundation’s passion for education, encouragement, research, and love.
The latest version of Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book will be published in October 2023, and I can’t wait to see what is new and revised.
If you are looking for a comprehensive book on the human breast written by a medical professional, this is the one to get. It begins with basic explanations of the breast, including normal breast development and parts of the breast.
Then, Dr. Love explains some common breast issues women may experience with her signature style and perspective. One excellent example is as follows, “When talking about the term fibrocystic disease ‘It seemed to me that “fibrocystic disease” meant “we don’t know what is wrong with you, but it isn’t cancer, so we are not going to pay attention to it.” The term had no real meaning, even though the symptoms were very real. So I began to call it a “garbage” term that lumps everything not related to breast cancer into one bucket.’” (excerpt from Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book)
She doesn’t diminish our symptoms due to our reproductive cycles, but she is also unwilling to lump them all together into a term that doesn’t help us. Dr. Love is digging for answers and pushing the needle further in our breast cancer care.
Dr. Love and her co-authors wrote this book with a personable voice that is easy and enjoyable to read. It is also full of great information to help us understand the biology of breast cancer.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with a breast concern. It is comprehensive, well-researched, and enjoyable to read.
Patient Advocacy and the Dr. Susan Love Foundation
Patient advocacy is a big part of the mission of the foundation. They invite patient advocates to have a seat at the table during their research symposium. They offer scholarships for patient advocates to attend conferences. They empower us to influence the newly diagnosed with relevant and accurate information.
I’m grateful for the foundation’s support of advocates so that we can continue to impact the community together.
The Mission of Dr. Susan Love and the Foundation
A world without breast cancer is not a reality yet. But, there are many, like Dr. Susan Love, who are committed to researching what it would take to end it. This means funding the research, getting patients involved in research studies, and educating us about what is happening.
Research and education are keys to helping us have a better experience during and after treatment.
Dr. Susan Love Foundation’s mission is “to perform and facilitate innovative and collaborative research while translating science to engage the public as informed partners. This will enable us to achieve our vision: To end breast cancer.”
We aren’t there yet. But it is through visionaries like Dr. Susan Love that we get closer every day. In the meantime, they provide resources to help us understand breast cancer and be more informed about our treatment options.
Education on the Foundation’s Website
The foundation has an education resource library dedicated to helping us better understand breast cancer. Sections include Breast cancer basics, screening and tests, newly diagnosed, metastatic breast cancer, and the ImPatient Science video series.
Their educational focus is “Helping people understand the human breast, the causes of breast cancer, and how we can prevent it.”
They even have a specific section dedicated to understanding DCIS and evaluating our treatment options.
If you have a question about breast cancer, I highly recommend you look at their resources.
Supporting the Dr. Susan Love Foundation
If you are interested in participating in the foundation’s mission, you can donate directly to them.
Additionally, if you are in Southern California, consider participating in one of the in-person events. Every spring, they do a “Love is in the Air” luncheon at a beautiful location in Los Angeles. In 2023, the luncheon was at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. I would have been there if I wasn’t on my way to visit colleges with my son! I’ll be marking my calendar for next year, for sure!
Additionally, they do annual walks and host research symposiums at UCLA. You could also participate in one of their research studies if you qualify.
Thank you, Dr. Susan Love, for all you have done to support, encourage, and advocate for all of us in the breast cancer community.
Partnership Disclosure: This post was not sponsored by the Dr. Susan Love Foundation. All opinions are my own. I was not financially compensated to be a BCAM influencer.
Affiliate Disclosure: The links to the Breast Book are affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase one
Jennifer Douglas
Jennifer is the author of "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time," breast cancer survivor, and patient advocate. Her book, published in 2023 by Bold Story Press, is an encouraging guide for breast cancer patients. It contains first-hand information, organized by topics, to help readers navigate the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from breast cancer. Her writing emphasizes emotional, mental, and physical well-being along with empowered decision-making.
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