Filed by Stephanie Harris
"Making Strides" in the fight against breast cancer
Posted: Aug 6, 2008 05:51 PM
Updated: Aug 11, 2008 06:04 PM
NORFOLK, VA. (WAVY.COM) -- WAVY.com is helping to make strides against breast cancer and we want you to join us.
"Making Strides" is the American Cancer Society's fun walk to raise money for research and community support.
Support for women like Jill Breitwieser.
She's an outgoing young woman, mother of a 4-year-old and already a breast cancer survivor.
"I am the third generation in my family to have breast cancer. I was diagnosed at 25 years old."
Jill is not shy about sharing her story. She spoke to hundreds at the Making Strides for Breast Cancer kickoff breakfast in Chesapeake Wednesday morning.
Jill tested positive for both hereditary breast cancer genes.
Doctors say that is very rare, but the chances of getting breast cancer, for any woman, are one in eight.
Doctor Jennifer Reed with Norfolk Surgical Group says, because technology is improving, breast cancer is being picked up earlier and in younger patients.
"Patients who have the disease at a younger age tend to have more aggressive tumors, but if we catch it early, we can still cure these patients."
That's why Jill's made it her mission to get the message out.
She says she does it for her daughter, so her future might be free of the cancer that has cursed her family for generations.
