This is my first time attending the Annual Advocacy Training Conference, and I can tell it will not be the last! I am 26 years old now and came with a group of outstanding and amazing women survivors of breast cancer. Even though I am by far the youngest in the group, I feel exchanging stories has been a very enriching experience.
I was one when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and she passed away when I was 12. I have not thought about breast cancer or my experience losing my mother in many years, and being here for this conference has helped me process this confusing and missing part of myself: my mother’s death. Through telling others my years of seeing my mother fight breast cancer and then the feeling of sadness afterwards, and learning what others have gone through, has helped me process and translate the deep dark places of my heart into action and empowerment to help other women, and finally: to fight for equality and justice in the health care system and beyond…
This conference has begun the dialogue within myself and I hope soon, outside myself in the community and world. I wish there was a little more included in the conference on lesbian rights and health. As we fight for women’s rights for health care and equality, we need to recognize that many lesbians are afraid to go through traditional medical hospitals because of fear of mistreatment and of “coming out” to her doctor, nurses, and other clinicians. Furthermore, many lesbians are ashamed of themselves and of their bodies…I hope in the future there could at least be a workshop on lesbian/LGBT health and breast cancer.