Martina Navratilova Determined to Survive Breast Cancer
Athlete is determined to defy odds.
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April 9, 2010
Tennis great Martina Navratilova was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, but the accomplished athlete is determined to thrive despite her illness.
Navratilova has been diagnosed with a non-invasive form of cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ, which luckily had not spread to the surrounding tissue or metastasized, according to CNN.com. She will undergo treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.
However, Navratilova urges other women to be more diligent about their breast health than she was.
"I feel so in control of my life and my body, and then this comes, and it's completely out of my hands," she told People Magazine." I let it slide. Everyone gets busy, but don't make excuses. I stay in shape and eat right, and it happened to me. Another year and I could have been in big trouble."
Women should be proactive about mammograms. Females over the age of 40 should make a point of scheduling an annual mammogram, and women over the age of 20 should begin conducting regular self breast exams, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
The ACS reports that there were 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in 2009, and 40,170 deaths from the disease.
There are many organizations which work to raise awareness and funds for medical research, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which also accepts donations.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, but the accomplished athlete is determined to thrive despite her illness.
Navratilova has been diagnosed with a non-invasive form of cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ, which luckily had not spread to the surrounding tissue or metastasized, according to CNN.com. She will undergo treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.
However, Navratilova urges other women to be more diligent about their breast health than she was.
"I feel so in control of my life and my body, and then this comes, and it's completely out of my hands," she told People Magazine." I let it slide. Everyone gets busy, but don't make excuses. I stay in shape and eat right, and it happened to me. Another year and I could have been in big trouble."
Women should be proactive about mammograms. Females over the age of 40 should make a point of scheduling an annual mammogram, and women over the age of 20 should begin conducting regular self breast exams, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
The ACS reports that there were 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in 2009, and 40,170 deaths from the disease.
There are many organizations which work to raise awareness and funds for medical research, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which also accepts donations.
