The Women's Health Collaborative and EARLIER DETECTION advocate Alexandra Fiederlein interviewed breast cancer survivor Jamie Butera about her journey to getting checked to save her own life. When her own doctor said, "You're Way to Young for it to be Breast Cancer"- Jamie's instincts told her different. By 'demanding' the right screening and tests, she found that she had Stage 3 breast cancer. "Be your own advocate, get the answers you deserve... if I didn't seek answers when I did, I would only have had 2 months to live!"
FACT: Cancer does not discriminate. And this includes healthy people, people that are physically fit and active and young women. In general, young people think they're bulletproof. Well, you are not! You look at the camera as one of the young people, but you're one of the smartest generation young people and say, "take it from me. Young people can get cancer just like older people."
In the case of Jamie, I'm glad she was proactive enough to follow her gut - instead of doctors who guess wrong! Jamie is a survivor of stage three breast cancer and is a supporter of earlier diagnosis. Jamie's strength is an inspiration for many, and her story is a reminder of how women should be advocates for their health because their lives depend on it. Jamie is also the owner and operator of a full service WIG Salon called the Wig Nook located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her services play a special focus on cancer patient survivors and those struggling with alopecia. And Jamie is also an active member of the Hidden Angel Cancer Support Group.
JAMIE'S TRANSCRIPT
In the year 2015, I was diagnosed with a stage three breast cancer on my right breast. It was a triple negative. When I did my own research, it just really means it tested negative on three aspects of tests with (I believe) estrogen.
It all started when I found a lump in my right breast. It was a very small lump, about the size of a grape. When I initially felt the lump, I went to an ER and saw a doctor there. They told me that they don't really deal with that... I have to go see my gynecologist- who told me that it could be an infection of a milk duct because I was way too young for it to be cancer. So she told me I shouldn't be concerned at all! She told me I shouldn't be concerned at all. I'm way too young. So she put me on antibiotics to see how that would go.
I feel if I didn't follow my intuition or demand answers (since I found this lump), I wouldn't be here today because records have shown when we're younger, they don't really take it as seriously. I would say be your own advocate! Get the answers you deserve because there is always a cause. If you have a lump, obviously there is a cause for it. So even if they tell you otherwise, keep asking and keep digging for answers. Find out the cause of this lump and more importantly, find out what it really is!
So from my understanding, this was an aggressive kind of cancer- so I started chemo right away right after I got diagnosed. It took them about two months before my being initially diagnosed because they didn't really think I had the breast cancer because I was very young (I was 27 at the time). By the time I was diagnosed, I started with intense chemotherapy then followed by radiation then surgery. Seven years later, I'm still cancer free.
SURVIVOR'S ADVOCACY
Years later, after my diagnosis, I chose to go public and be really open with my diagnosis. I put my story on social media. I let people see me without my hair. I didn't want someone to go through the same thing I went through or someone to possibly die because they weren't diagnosed early enough because they were too young. U
I host the Hidden Angel Cancer Support Group so people don't feel alone with this cancer. It made me feel really good to speak to survivors at the time when I was going through it myself. I feel like being involved with cancer support groups help you to see (especially survivors) that if somebody else has survived this, I too can survive it!
SURVIVOR TURNED RESOURCE FOR PATIENTS & SURVIVORS
The Wig Nook offers other board licensed expertise in Hair Extensions and Hair Styling to all your needs. We are proud to announce that we offer Nail Service to our list of services. With all these exciting professional services, we want you to Meet me at the Nook! At The Wig Nook, we pride ourselves to have a true connection with our clients. As a Stage 3 Breast Cancer survivor, owner and lead stylist Jaime Butera is dedicated to provide specialized wig services with the care that a cancer survivor is looking for and deserves. She offers various hair services including the highest quality wig services
