According to research conducted by Breastcancer.org, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer throughout her lifetime.
When taking into account the alarming list of other highly aggressive, obstructive cancers that women fall prey to — including cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, the "silent killer" — it's imperative that women of all ages go in for routine checkups.
In a rather shocking message below, Kylie Armstrong, a victim of breast cancer, shares her personal story on cancer detection.
She had noticed strange little dents on the side of her breast, and immediately went in for an exam. Astonishingly, the mammogram failed to pick up any signs of distress. It wasn't until she had an ultrasound that her breast cancer was detected.
What Kylie had noticed were a dimpling, or puckering, on her skin, which happens to be one of the most overlooked symptoms of breast cancer.
If you notice anything strange or different about your breasts or body, please consult your doctor at once.
Scroll on to see Kylie's incredible photo, and let us know your own thoughts about breast cancer awareness in the comments below.
Last week, Kylie Armstrong, of Melbourne, Australia, shared a photo of her breasts on Facebook, warning others of a lesser-known form that breast cancer may take.
Upon a closer look, you will notice that there are no lumps on her breast, or other telltale signs and symptoms.
There are, however, small, barely-noticeable "dimples" in her skin — which is among the few lesser-known, equally alarming symptoms of breast cancer.
“Please take a good look at this photo,” Kylie writes in her message.
“These 3 very, very subtle DIMPLES on the bottom of this breast are a sign of BREAST CANCER!
“I felt no lump. The GP felt no lump. However, she listened to me when I said my breast looked different to usual and when I raised my arm I could see very, very faint dimples on the underside of my breast.
“The GP sent me for a mammogram to be sure. It wasn’t obvious on the scan so they sent me for an ultrasound.
“The ultrasound found the cancer deep in my breast close to the muscle.”
“These 3 dimples have turned my world and my families’ world upside down.
“We are shocked, we are numb, we are emotional, we are sometimes OK, we are pretending it’s not happening, we are trying to absorb information, we are dealing with tests, we are crying, we are trying to continue as normal.
“We are angry, we are sad. We have more questions than answers. We are doing our best to cope.
“I am sharing this because I hope I can make people aware that breast cancer is not always a detectable lump.
“Please go straight to your GP if you notice ANY change in your breast.
“It could save your life.”
Two days ago, Kylie posted a follow-up note on Facebook, saying that she has completed her surgery, and is now hoping that she is completely cancer-free.
“Very importantly,” she writes, “I have received messages from many that have decided to go have their breasts checked.
“Once I have fully recovered and my batteries have been recharged, we will jump head-on to further treatment and we will do everything we can so I can beat this!”
If you have noticed any changes in your breasts, no matter however tiny, it’s best to follow Kylie’s advice, and go get checked out by the doctor.
And if your gut tells you to get a second opinion — or a third, or fourth — always listen!
Please SHARE so everyone can read Kylie's lifesaving words!
