Do you know that 3% of women develop breast cancer while breastfeeding?

Hi mommies! Today is #WorldCancerDay and I have an important message to share especially to all mothers who has been following me on social media. Often we are informed that breastfeeding reduces our chance of developing breast cancer later in life. But do you know that 3% of women develop breast cancer while breastfeeding (Herman S, et al, 2012)? I know now because I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 18 December 2019. I stopped breastfeeding that night which meant I have breastfeeding my little girl for 37 months. I had already underwent a surgery in early January 2020 and is now confirmed to have HER2 positive early breast cancer. As such, I'll be commencing chemotherapy next week as part of a 16 months long treatment plan. To breastfeeding mothers out there (and women of all ages), please continue to perform the monthly self-examination so that you can monitor for any changes to your breasts. Never hesitate to seek medical advice if you discover a lump - get it checked so that you know whether it's breastfeeding related e.g. blocked milk duct, mastitis, etc or something more serious like a cancerous lump. Remember that we have little ones who need us and #earlydetectionsaveslives. XOXO, Mei Theng #IAmAndIWill #WCD2020 #breastcancer #her2positivebreastcancer #breastcancerawareness Resource: Herman S, et al. (2012). Breast cancer diagnosis while breastfeeding: When two worlds collide. DOI: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2012.01363_1.x