Carmen’s Babycakes
Carmen’s my better half, hands down. And I swear it’s not her Babycakes (although they are, hands down, the most amazing rum cakes I’ve ever tasted).
I was talking to Nick Zeeben one day after I met Carmen and I told him she was an amazing cook. When he asked me to define “amazing,” I said she could turn shoe leather into spaghetti, and I was serious, sort of.
Now? I’m serious.
In January 1992 Carmen’s sister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In May, five months later, she died at age 29.
In May 1997, Carmen’s mom was diagnosed with colon and ovarian cancer. Eight months later, in January, she died at age 55.
According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 12.0 percent of women (120 out of 1,000) in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives compared with about 60 percent of women (600 out of 1,000) who have inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 (4, 5). In other words, a woman who has inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 is about five times more likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have such a mutation.
Carmen’s been tested as a potential carrier of the mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 (also known as the BRACA gene) that appears to be a family trait, and so far the tests have returned negative. The good news is, there are preventative measures she can take to reduce her risk of getting cancer even if she’s a carrier: A preventative hysterectomy. A preventative double mastectomy. A preventative series of low-dose chemotherapy. Or she could closely monitor her health with a team of specialists for the rest of her life. Cancer Sucks.
But Carmen’s doing something about it.
The Breast Cancer 3-day is rolling through Dallas in November, and in her new shoes, new socks, and with her fancy new blisters, Carmen will be joining thousands of other women across the United States taking this tough 60 mile walk. Net proceeds from The Walk benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Philanthropic Trust, funding important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment.
Please join me in supporting Carmen as she takes this amazing journey in the fight against breast cancer! Click Here to learn more about how can you help.
