Breast Cancer Archives - Melanie Young- Fearless Fabulous You!

Facing MBC: Kelli Davis Says “Not Today”

On July 16, 2020 / Breast Cancer, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show

Metastatic Breast Cancer, MBC for short, is Stage IV breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast to another organ or part of the body and is incurable. Approximately 1 in 3 women with early stage breast cancer will develop Metastatic Breast Cancer, and six percent of patients have MBC at first diagnosis, known as “de novo.” Medical advancements have enabled people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to live longer with a better quality of life. I had the honor of interviewing Kelli Davis, an MBC Thriver, for my podcast Fearless Fabulous Tips for Healthy Living (iHeart Radio). Kelli was

Lessons from a 10-Year Breast Cancer Survivor to Her Younger Self

On August 7, 2019 / Breast Cancer, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show

– and to those facing the breast cancer journey You’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer and you are numb and scared. Your world just turned upside-down. Let me help you set it right. I am 10-year survivor, diagnosed August 6, 2009. I was in your shoes that day, shocked, freaked and little ashamed that I’d allowed my health to get away from me. You see, I am a control freak in so many parts of my life. Yet, my world then felt spiraled and out of control. But not for long. The few people I told at first all had

Is Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Really That Good for You?

On April 13, 2019 / Breast Cancer, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Healthy Living, Nutrition and Diet

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has debunked the theory that following an alkaline diet can improve your health and reduce your risk for cancer, stating, “What you eat can have a profound affect on your cancer risk, but the acidity or alkalinity of foods is not important. Instead, focus on making dietary choices that can truly affect your risk.” The AICR has launched a campaign to hep bust common myths and present science-based facts about cancer prevention. (link) As the recipient of numerous publicists’ pitches on the benefits of an alkaline diet, risks of high acid in your

You Don’t Need to Buy A Product to Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Six charities I recommend

On October 14, 2018 / Breast Cancer

This time of year my inbox flooded with pinked out products to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I appreciate everyone’s effort to support the cause, and I hope that every company remembers that long after October ends, breast cancer continues to impact 1 in 8 women. For anyone living with metastatic breast cancer, it’s part of your life every day. It is important to be sensitive to this amidst the pink fanfare. However, you don’t need to buy products to support the cause. Many products only donate a small percentage to the designated charity while reaping a good amount of

Where There Is Help There Is Hope

On June 7, 2018 / Breast Cancer, Healthy Living

This week, I breathed two sighs. One of Hope and one of Sadness. And I think many other women did as well. Hope is because a new study came out stating that many women with early stage breast cancer may no longer need to undergo chemotherapy treatment. As with all studies, there are particulars, such as the cancer cannot have spread to the lymph nodes and the patients had to be sensitive to estrogen and negative for the protein HER2. This is a major advancement for the approximately 260,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year. In The New York Times article, “The findings

Let’s Bust a Few Myths About Your Breast Health

On May 3, 2018 / Breast Cancer

I never thought I’d say how much I enjoyed reading a book about breasts, but I highly recommend the new release: BREASTS: The Owner’s Manual by Dr. Kristi Funk, a board-certified breast surgeon and founder of The Pink Lotus Breast Center in Beverly Hills. You may have seen or read about Dr. Funk recently. She’s appeared on “Good Morning America,” “Megyn Kelly Today” and numerous other national media outlets. And her name made headlines after her patient, Actress Angelina Jolie, revealed in a New York Times op-ed her pivotal decision to have a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy to reduce her cancer

Seven Things You May Not Know About Breast Cancer, and Should

On October 1, 2017 / Breast Cancer, Healthy Living

I am an eight-year survivor of breast cancer. Thankfully, I am healthy. When October rolls around, and the pink party starts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I contemplate what it means to be a survivor, and I think back to when I was diagnosed and underwent a double mastectomy in September 2009, and what a mind-numbing out- of -body- experience it felt like. Your body and your life are altered forever. During October, news reports splash with the latest research, survivor stories or a celebrity revealing she has been recently diagnosed and her message to others. There are pink product promotions, pink fashions

New Developments in Breast Reconstruction

On June 4, 2017 / Breast Cancer, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show

I always feel a little wistful on National Cancer Survivors Day which falls on the first Sunday in June. I’m a member of a club I never wanted to join, and yet I am proud to call myself a survivor. The recent news that singer Olivia Newton John was diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer after more than two decades triggered some anxiety that many survivors feel. Recurrence or another cancer lurk in the back of your mind like a dark shadow. But then, you need to remind yourself: Live now; worry less. Darice Lang is a two time breast cancer

10 Steps To Reduce Your Risk for Breast Cancer

On October 10, 2016 / Breast Cancer

Did you know only about 10 percent of breast cancers are hereditary? While you can’t control certain factors that may impact your risk for breast cancer, such as being a woman, getting older, race or ethnicity, you can be proactive about how you take care of yourself. Lifestyle factors play an important role in many cancers including breast cancer. The American Institute For Cancer Research states that about 1/3 of the most common cancers in the U.S. could be prevented through weight management, a healthy diet and daily exercise. Those three steps can make a big difference! Here are 10 steps to take now that I’ve compiled from three of my

My Fearless Fabulous Next Chapter

On October 3, 2016 / Breast Cancer, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Finances, Healthy Living

This week marks my third season hosting my national radio shows, Fearless Fabulous You! (W4WN.com) and The Connected Table LIVE! (W4CY.com). I created my shows because I wanted to use my voice to share stories of interesting people and inspire others. The work has been hard but completely gratifying. I’ve met so many wonderful, gifted and giving people along the way, from medical experts to authors to entrepreneurs. I’m still looking for show sponsors and partners and welcome referrals. In the meantime the nicest thing you could for me and for my guests is to please tune in and share my shows. LINK TO IHEART LINK to

Fearless Fabulous Women: Wit & Wisdom from a Young Breast Cancer Survivor

On July 2, 2016 / Breast Cancer

Imagine. You are young, married with four sons, full of energy and gorgeous. You find a lump on your breast. It tests positive for cancer. Your world turns upside down. You feel lost. You have radiation, reconstruction, complications. It’s all complicated. Where do you turn for support? It happens more than you think. Breast cancer affects women (and men) of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. It’s hard on everyone, but especially hard for younger women who may be of childbearing age or raising children, or who are single and dating, or starting a new career. You feel shot down in

New Cookbook Offers Meals To Heal and Help Cancer Patients

On March 17, 2016 / Breast Cancer, Nutrition and Diet

One of the toughest challenges for me when I was diagnosed with breast cancer was enjoying food. Here I was a well connected professional food and wine consultant with a welcome seat at all the great restaurants in New York City, and food no longer appealed to me. It wasn’t that I stopped liking food. It’s just that while I was undergoing chemotherapy treatment the smells, sight and taste of many foods were off putting. I simply either had no appetite or was fearful of become nauseous from eating anything. Constipation from medication was a constant, and that only added to