Martina Navratilova is a Czechoslovakian and American former professional tennis player and coach. The 65-year-old tennis legend has made a record by winning nine Wimbledon women’s single finals during her three-decade-long career.
On April 7, 2010, Navratilova chose to talk about her cancer diagnosis on the “Good Morning America” show and described the news as her “personal 9/11”. The shock came to her in a routine mammogram screening. The shocking news was not ‘so shocking’ as she had been letting her routine screening ‘slip’, said the former tennis player.
Upon finishing her career, she underwent a knee surgery and was too occupied for her other regular check-ups. Then after some time passed, she recalled and thought that may be her last mammogram screenings were done a year or two ago, and so scheduled for one. When in reality, Navratilova was skipping her breast screenings for the past 4 years at that time. When the mammogram results came, she cried and felt devastated.
The mammogram showed a lump in her left breast. For a few days, all her thoughts revolved over how she had been an athlete all her life and always ate right. And now she suddenly felt as if she lost control over her life and her body. This overwhelming situation made Navratilova realise and admit that she was not taking her regular check-ups and screenings seriously.
Navratilova, then 53, quickly picked herself up cloaked with positive attitude and immediately looked for solutions. Fortunately, it was not too late for the former tennis player. The lump detected was DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), a non-invasive form of breast cancer. DCIS is considered to be the earliest form of breast cancer and had a very low risk of spreading. This early detection enabled her doctors to give good prognosis.
“I’m okay and I’ll make a full recovery” said the tennis champion, as she began her cancer treatment. She underwent lumpectomy for removal of cancerous tissue, and later radiation therapy. While undergoing radiation treatment in Paris, she continued her television commentary work for the French Open.
Like any other woman, Navratilova feared the treatment would disfigure her. However, she is now fully healed, healthy and advocates early screening for cancer prevention. She talks openly about her diagnosis, recovery journey and urges woman to not ignore their yearly screening. She says “By the time it becomes a lump, it’s too late” emphasizing that yearly mammogram can save a life.
“I think the key is for women not to set any limits” says the Wimbledon champion, believing that women are much stronger who can do anything, fight anything when they start believing in themselves.
Breast cancer screening and its importance:
Breast cancer screening helps early cancer detection that helps provide effective treatment options. The earlier the cancer detection, the better the individual’s chances of survival. Routine breast cancer screening by mammography will allow better prognosis and avoid complications or death.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends yearly mammogram screening for women from age 40. If you have dominant history of breast cancer or other cancers in your family, it is advised to take breast cancer screening for reassurance for women even below 40. It is also important to know that breast cancer in most cases (up to 85%) have occurred even without family history. Therefore, it is advised to not miss yearly mammogram screenings.
Apart from cancer screening, self-exam is another best way to observe any changes in your breasts. Self-exam, as the name indicates, means that woman as a routine affair should examine their breasts for any lumps, breast colour changes or fluid discharge, change in breast size, etc. If in case, there appear to be some changes in breasts, report to your healthcare provider immediately and they will examine your symptoms carefully and guide you further, if mammogram is required or not. If something suspicious is found in mammogram, a breast MRI or biopsy (follow-up test) is recommended to clear out any doubts of cancer presence.
References:
- Martina Navratilova has breast cancer. CNN Sports. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/tennis/04/07/tennis.martina.navratilova.cancer/index.html
Accessed on 23-03-2022 - Martina Navratilova says breast cancer ‘my personal 9/11. Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/07/navratilova-breast-cancer-reaction
Accessed on 23-03-2022 - Martina Navratilova Fighting Breast Cancer. ABC news. https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/martina-navratilova-breast-cancer-tennis-star-tells-gma/story?id=10299319
Accessed on 23-03-2022 - Martina Navratilova accepts blame for cancer diagnosis after admitting she let mammogram check-up ‘slip’. Daily Mail Reporter. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1264448/Martina-Navratilova-accepts-blame-cancer-diagnosis-admitting-let-mammogram-check-slip.html
Accessed on 23-03-2022 - What Is Breast Cancer Screening? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm
Accessed on 23-03-2022 - Breast Cancer Facts and Statistics. Breastcancer.org. https://www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics
Accessed on 23-03-2022 - 3 steps to early breast cancer detection. Piedmont. https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/3-steps-to-early-breast-cancer-detection
Accessed on 23-03-2022