I’ve always thought Sofia Vergara is having the time of her life. I know some cruddy things have come her way but she seems able to deal with her situation and move on to a sunnier side. I admire that. One thing she does advocate for is women’s health, specifically cancer. Sofia was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at a very young age. At the time, she was a single mother to her then eight year-old son. Obviously it frightened the hell out of her. She wouldn’t even mention the word cancer around her son in an attempt not to scare him. Fortunately, Sofia beat her cancer but she remains vocal about people looking after themselves for early detection. To make her point, she posts about her annual mammogram on social media to remind women how important it is. Last year, she posted this:
This year, she made it more playful by her dancing, probably since the whole point is to take the stress out of mammograms:
I know we have many breast cancer survivors here as well friends and family of survivors. So it might be hard to believe that there are women who put off mammograms but I can tell you there are. I waited well past the recommended time and I don’t even know why. I don’t think I was scared, I take all my other tests as soon as I get the paperwork but I sat on my mammogram for way too long. My girlfriends and I are talking about making it an annual event. We would all go on the same day and then meet for lunch afterwards. Or we wear hats or something and make an afternoon of it – maybe then we wouldn’t dare miss it. Of course, it’s very hard to write this while the US government is voting to take away affordable health care for women.
Back to Sofia, who’s not content to just be the highest paid actress on TV, she’s started a subscription-based lingerie service called EBY, Empowered By You, with her partner Renata Black. The venture uses some of its proceeds to assist Colombian women in starting their own businesses. However, with recent events, Sofia and Renata have decided that future profit will also be used to assist American victims of natural disasters.
Photo credit: Instagram and WENN Photos
It’s true, Hecate. We can be so complacent. I always groan about the effort of turning up when I get the various letters from my GP: show up for your mammogram/cervical smear/flu inocculation. And I’m in the UK, so I don’t even have to pay. Sheer complacency on my – privileged – part.
I started to appreciate the UK healthcare only after I came back home to Poland. Back in the UK, I ignored all of my letters and now I deeply regret it. No one here sends me letters reminding about my exams. To the contrary – sometimes I have to beg my GP to refer me to a specialist or to do basic exams. And still, I also shouldn’t complain, because once you get the referral, the exams, procedures and hospital visits are free, so it’s also a privilege.
What age should you be starting to do mammograms?
50, unless family history, in which case 5-10 years before age of person who had it.
http://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/early-detection-and-screening/screening/screening-for-breast-cancer/?region=bc
Definitely by age 40 (some say 35) but it’s never too soon, especially if there’s a family history.
Thank you, I’ve just turned 29. I don’t think there is a family history but my grandma did have skin cancer. I should make sure my older sister does one.
I turned 40 and got my first mammogram. I’ve always heard 40 is the recommended age to start. I didn’t think it was that bad. Just squeezing your boobs to take pictures from different angles.
It recently got changed to 50 but should definitely have your baseline for 40. No harm in checking it at 40 if it makes you feel safer.
I just turned 41, am about to go to the doctor next month, and am expecting to be sent for one. There’s a family history on my dad’s side, and my aunt was my age when hers was diagnosed. I’m a little nervous, but I’ll feel better when it’s done and, fingers crossed, all clear.
I had my first mammogram at 40. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. No family history either. Average risk patient. If I had waited until I was 50, I would have died.
Also, I have dense breast tissue, which means finding it through self exams proved difficult. In my case, the mammogram and ultrasound saved my life.
Also, we should be more vocal about checking our breasts ourselves regularly. Most women find out they have breastcancer from a selfexam. I did.
I did too. Wasn’t old enough for mammograms yet.
Also, if you’re over 50, time for a colonoscopy. One of my mom’s friends refused to get it done and it was too late when they discovered she had stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to her brain and lungs
Totally shallow comment, but the difference between a LA mammogram and probably everywhere else, a Polo robe vs your standard hospital gown. LOL!
Aside from that, great, simple reminder to make that appointment, especially while it’s still a mandate under the ACA.
Thought that too. Wish I could have a nice fluffy robe instead of the paper gown!
That’s what stood out for me too. Here, we undress in the exam room behind a curtain. I don’t even bother with the flimsy johnnycoat now, I just stand there half naked for the whole test.
I don’t know if it matters, but I always bring my own super nice robe with me to all of these type appointments. It makes it a little more pleasant to have something “luxurious” with me.
A friend of mine gets mammograms since she’s 30 due to her familys breast cancer history, but she also wouldn’t do it again – the breast squeezing was painful – if she weren’t part of a high risk group. I think we aren’t always aware of it, but we tend to avoid painful or embarassing or frightening examinations more likely than “normal” examinations. So thumbs up for her raising awareness.
It does hurt, especially if you have bigger breasts. My ex-ray technician, said “it will hurt briefly, “I’m not gonna lie about it” I appreciated she was like nope its hurts!
Agree with you Hecate, Sofia does seem to be having a great time in life. I know she’s irritating to some with her shtick but I appreciate her honesty and humor. Go Sofia!
I love her. She always looks happy and joyful.
I love her as well. Her story about giving Kaiser’s ex, Gerald Butler, a handout when he was broke melts my heart.
Just had my annual breast sonogram on Friday. I do better with the sonogram than the mammogram, so that’s what I get. And yes, self examination is super important. I found a lump (turned out to be a benign cyst, thankfully) during self examination.
My mother-in-law’s mother had breast cancer. She thinks that mammograms are toxic doses of radiation. She gets ultrasounds. Is this as effective?? I wish that I could convince her, but googling is fruitless because she has many sources that agree with her. She is also an anti-vaxxer.
The dose of radiation you get from a mammogram is fairly minimal and the chance of developing cancer as a result varies by age starting with 1 in 70,000 under the age of 40 and goes up to 1 in 500,000 by age 70. The benefit of bi-yearly mammograms is that there are certain types of cancer that are undetectable by self-examination. As for her anti-vaxxer stance, let me tell you a story. I worked with a woman who had 2 young kids who developed whooping cough and they were sick as dogs. Of course they infected her because she hadn’t been vaccinated either and she brought it into the office. I caught it because as an over-50-yr-old my vaccination had worn off. It was brutal and the cough lasted for months – I’d cough so hard I’d vomit. The biggest risk is for infants and it can cause lasting nerve damage.
So let me just state that anti-vaxxers don’t seem to realize that by their selfish and uneducated decision to not vaccinate their kids or themselves, they are spreading diseases that had, for the most part, been obliterated, and that can kill kids, cause blindness and mental retardation in unborn fetuses (measles/rubella) and a host of other problems.
They don’t know and/or don’t care about herd immunity. It’s ignorance combined with selfishness. My cousins, perfectly normal people otherwise, refused to have their two children vaccinated, and claimed religious freedom all through the school years. They don’t even go to church, are lapsed Christians, and the schools (Florida and Georgia) asked no questions. They attended private schools, but I have no idea if this was a factor. Very disheartening.
Thank you for sharing that. She said breast cancer numbers have risen since the intro of the mammogram, but we were like, isn’t that because they’re being diagnosed now?? I have read and heard these vaccine anecdotal stories many times. I was vaccinated and her unborn grandchild will be too, but we haven’t broken the news to her yet. She has another grandchild whose parents she talked into the religious freedom thing (yup, GA) and has yet to be vaccinated in kindergarten. We have convinced them that they must protect their child and he will be getting vaccinated soon. Should make for a fun Thanksgiving.
Allie, Risk of breast cancer also goes up with obesity, and that has increased as well. There isn’t proven causation with mammograms. There is proven causation with other risk factors.
Hecate – Colombian 🙂
Gah! dammit – I have been so much better of late. Thanks, can’t believe I missed that while proofing.
Sofia can be a bit much sometimes, but I have to give her major credit as a businesswoman. She has a LOT of deals and companies and they all seem to do well. And kudos to them for using proceeds to help others too.
Actually there is a small percentage of cancers that don’t show up on any form of imaging. ALWAYS do self exams!!! Also, ultrasound is more effective than a mammogram, so if you don’t like your boobs squeezed then go for the ultrasound instead (long time lurker with six years of being a Breast Cancer clinic manager as well as being in the unlucky group of ‘dense breast tissue’ women who requires annual ultrasounds). Keep an eye and a hand on your breasts ladies and get to know them REALLY well!