Author Celeste Reichert Friedman shares her journal entries about her late mother, Awanna Reichert, who fought a valiant battle with cancer for twenty-plus years.
Each day, we learn of countless individuals who have some form of cancer. Most of the world now has somewhat of an understanding of what this monster is and its name has become a part of our daily dialogue.
There are over one-hundred forms of cancer and research is unveiling more about metastasis. After a radical mastectomy in February of 2013, her mother's oncologist informed them of the grave possibility that the cancer would metastasize in the bones, lungs and spleen. A former nurse, Celeste's mother refused to go through any further treatment, as she believed that her eighty-five years on this earth had been enough. With her strong belief that life is in God's hands, she continued to fight, still hoping for an unparalleled breakthrough.
Current statistics show there are approximately 155,000 Americans living with metastatic breast cancer. 40,000 of those individuals will die within the coming year. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women in 2014 and possibly 18 million by 2020. To date, there are 2.8 million documented breast cancer survivors in the United States.
If caught early enough, many cancers are manageable. Some of the most common treatments for cancer include chemotherapy and radiation, miraculously killing the abnormal cells, if you are one of the fortunate. The cost endured from treatment can be insurmountable, having a critical impact on a patient's financial situation and adding a tremendous burden on the family. Cancer takes its toll on everyone and the price that is paid emotionally is immeasurable.
The National Cancer Institute predicts that the amount of money Americans will spend on cancer treatments yearly will reach a staggering $158 billion by the year 2020. Since the 1950's, the American Cancer Society has been committed to intensive research with regard to preventing cancer; the link between cigarette smoking; lung cancer and other risks such as obesity. To learn more, visit the following online links:
www.CancerResearch.org
www.CancerCenter.com
www.Cancer.org – The American Cancer Society official website.
For more on Celeste's new eBook release, please visit