There are certain stereotypes about what cancer looks and feels like. Many even believe that if you have advanced enough cancer, you would somehow "just know." But one mom is shattering that false perception with an important warning on Instagram.
Kirstin Pretorius is a 34-year-old married mom of two living in Sydney. The fit and happy mom prided herself on living "cleanly" and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Little did she know, her world was about to be turned upside down.
In April 2017, Kirstin took a vacation with her husband Maurice to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. Just two months later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after doctors found three tumors in her breast.
Now, Kirstin is sharing her story to remind women to be diligent about self-administered breast exams and regular doctor checkups.
Scroll through to read Kirstin's important warning!
Thumbnail Photo: Instagram / Kirstin Pretorius
[H/T: Daily Mail]
On July 20, 2017, Kirstin shared a snapshot of herself on vacation with her husband that has since made waves across the internet.
Alongside the happy photo, she writes:
In this picture, I was living with cancer. I just didn't know it yet. Ironically, this year marked the peak of my 'health' and my fitness.
I've never felt better, stronger, or more comfortable with myself than I did turning 34. My marriage had never been better and my children were thriving. Everything was beautifully bright.
But, despite feeling perfectly well, I went for my routine yearly health check. And that's when they discovered 'the limp'. The lump.
I look at this picture from a simply blissful family holiday celebrating my 10 year wedding anniversary and all I can think is… 'KIRSTIN how can you not know that there are 3 tumours thriving away in your breast? How can you not FEEL the cancer slipping into your lymph nodes? Why don't you FEEL sick? How can you be so stupid?!'
But I didn't know and I didn't feel.
If my doctor hadn't examined me, I'd still be blissfully unaware, reaching new fitness goals with my body, eating my futile little anti-oxidant high virtually-vegan wonder food diet… I'd be packing my little plastic-free super food school lunches for my girls, lecturing them on healthy lifestyles.
I'd be chemically-free cleaning my home wondering why the whole world doesn't use essential oils. All the while growing and feeding my precious cancer.
So check your boobs. Know your body. Cancer happens. To anyone.
Speaking to Daily Mail, Kirstin confirmed that she had been doing breast exams on herself prior to her diagnosis. But apparently, she had not been doing them correctly.
"I thought I was doing breast exams right, but I wasn't because I couldn't feel it," she said. "But even when they found the lump I was certain that it wouldn't be cancer because I was in such good health, so when they said it was I was just completely shocked."
Within just a week of her diagnosis, Kirstin went in for a full mastectomy on the side where she had cancer. Doctors removed all three tumors from her breast.
Doctors also found cancer in the breast tissue and lymph nodes, meaning that Kirstin needed to start chemotherapy.
This was particularly shocking because Kirstin had had virtually no symptoms to this point and had no family history of breast cancer.
Since her diagnosis, Kirstin has refused to let cancer keep her down or ruin her life.
In July 2017, she started her Instagram account "Kicking The Big C" to track her journey towards being cancer-free.
To begin, she has documented shopping for wigs, having her dad help shave her head, and hosting a "pre-chemo" party prior to beginning chemotherapy in the hospital.
Please SHARE Kirstin's inspiring outlook and her important warning with your friends and family on Facebook!
