October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and BHK has paired up with MegaGrowth to do a giveaway honoring those who have been impacted by breast cancer. Breast Cancer Awareness Month brings forth a great amount of education and discussion about the disease and prevention. MegaGrowth encourages all women to raise awareness about the importance of screening and the early detection of breast cancer. Ladies, please remember to do self-exams and schedule for your mammogram every 1-2 years. If you are a woman with out proper medical insurance, check out the National Mammography Program to find facilities near you that offer free diagonostic breast services.
From Megagrowth:
“We have supported cancer initiatives for years. Beauty starts in the inside and we work hard to create opportunities to support programs for women of strength.”
And with that said we are giving away the entire product line of MegaGrowth hair products in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. Here are the rules to enter:
1. Like the BHK Facebook page.
2. Subscribe to the BHK blog
3. Submit your story on how you have been impacted by breast cancer OR how you are looking to raise breast cancer awareness. Stories can be submitted via the comments on this post, our Facebook page or by email info[@]blackhairkitchen.com. Please submit a picture with your story. The winning submission will be reposted on BHK.
4. Contest closes October 30th @ 7pm EST. Winner will be post on BHK by November 1st.
We had our first celebration of breast cancer survivors. We allowed them tell their stories. We had oncologist come in and speak about the different forms of cancer and treatments. We plan to do this every year.
I was selling pink bracelets with the pink ribbon at school to raise money for the breast cancer foundation. They also allowed us to wear a pink shirt for a whole week at school 😀
(We use uniforms ) My grandma past away years ago because of cancer but she had liver cancer and when they detected it, it was to late 🙁
Hi! I am 18 years old, and I lost both my aunt and my mother to breast cancer. My mother passed when I was 12, leaving my dad and his 6 children behind. It was hard for me being the oldest female of 6 kids, but I made it through. Part of what made it so difficult is that she was trying to make a difference when she died. She ran against Ellen Johnson for the presidency of Liberia,and she loved her country. She and Ellen were the only two women out of 22 candidates that were running. She was a powerful activist during the Liberian civil war, and she headed her own presidential party (FAPL: Freedom Alliance Party of Liberia). Although I was (still am) sad to see her go, I am extremely proud of the legacy she left me.
On oct 3rd 2013 I lost my grandmother to lung and bain cancer. She also had breast cancer earlyer in her life and she faught it and won!. Sad to say she recently passed away but she was a very strong woman and put up a great fight. I now know how important it is to do self exams and to stay healthy. I have a picture to post of a strong woman (my grandmother) but at this time Im not comfortable with posting it ..
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 16 years old. She had to get a mastectomy and the doctor suggested rounds of chemo therapy. But my mom decided to go the all natural route. She changed her whole lifestyle. She started eating healthier and exercising more. She started using different deodorants and wearing a bra less often. At the time, I thought these changes were severe. But the results are telling. My mom (who was overweight at close to 200 lbs) is now 160 lbs and dropping. She is in good health, cancer free and loving life. I love my mom and hope her story brings hope to others who are in despair about breast cancer.
My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.
Breast cancer can affect more than just a person’s health. It changes everything. I admire the strength in all the women that fight for life in the name of love.
I have has several biopsies done since 16 years. All non cancerous so I try to encourage young women to go to the Dr as soon as they start their cycles because detecting this early can assist you in getting the help you need. I have one family member who waited and waited until it almost got out of hand. I wish that the focus on breast cancer for early detection is made at schools now. They teach these kids everything else to survive.
Sorry my phone wouldn’t allow the first upload 🙂
Hello to you!
When I was a teenager, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and ultimately passed away from it because it metastasized into pretty much everywhere else in her body. This impacted me because the person who took care of me was suddenly snatched from my life and everything was so uncertain. It also taught me the importance of not smoking and doing my self breast exams regularly.
Cancer is a monster but I’m still hoping for the cure for all!!
God Bless,
Shannan
With all the information that is available these days, we have no excuse not to take precautions concerning breast cancer. However, I still think it is important to spread the news the old fashion way… Word Of Mouth. I don’t want to leave it up the the television or the internet. I feel a more personal touch would be appropriate when speaking to my family, friends or associates about the importance of self checking and getting mammograms (when appropriate). Just think, if we each shared a little information, it would be so worth it to know you may have helped someone take a precautionary measure that may prevent future more complicated or life threatening issues. I just want to make a difference and what would it hurt to simply have a conversation?
God bless~
Breast cancer and cancer in general has impacted my family tremendously. I lost an aunt and a sister-in-law to breast cancer. My niece survived breast cancer…she is in her early thirties. My mother survived colon cancer before finally passing away due to lung cancer four (4) years ago. Another niece underwent a hysterectomy to prevent the spread of cervical cancer. So Breast Cancer and All Cancer in general has been something that our family has always be aware of…so the struggle continues.
Hi there my sister, I also enjoy trini foods so we definitely
Have that in common. I’m a subscriber and
really appreciate getting helpful tips from u.
Keep up the good work and always keep it real.
Nikki
Cancer has always been a distant reality to me until this year until my boss of 10 years announced that she had breast cancer. She proved to me that you can get cancer and kick it’s butt. She inspired me everyday to look at any adversity and stand up to it. She is a true Wonder Woman and I am happy to know her.
I hit submit without the picture! I can follow directions!
Hello everyone, My name is Deja and i have to say, i feel sort of honored to have a chance to let my voice be heard about breast cancer awareness. Breast cancer unfortunately runs in my family. The woman who raised me the majority of my child hood passed away from the disease. At the time i didnt really understand what breast cancer was or how one would get it, i just knew the pain i felt from losing the mother figure in my life, my “Big Ma”. As i got into my twenties, married with a child, the thought of breast cancer as heavy on my heart. I know it runs in my family so i take as many precautions as i can..staying active, controlling my weight, not smoking, and so on, because i cannot imagine losing my life and leaving my son behind because of breast cancer the way my great grandmother was taken from me. So if all of us women have to do is get a mammogram every 1-2 years, lets do it!! remind your friends and loved ones to self exam.. to get a mammogram once every year or two as if it were a birthday, because you know what.. its a celebration knowing that your taking care and precaution of your body.
-Deja Monae
Breast Cancer has impacted my life in such a way to where it wanted me to change the way i live my life. When i got news that my aunt had breast cancer it felt like i was going to lose someone that i loved so deeply. The good thing is, is that my aunt is a cancer survivor and i thank God for that and her everyday because , the cancer could have over powered her body but instead her body over powered the Cancer. If i could create my own breast cancer walk i would id bake ribbon cookies to earn money just for that cause. I really love being involved in the breast cancer cause. Id do anything to help out. I really hope i win ive nevee won anything before.
Trying to enter for the give a way
I see more & more women every day getting diagnosed with some sort of disease or cancer and it’s really upsetting. It didn’t start out as an “African American’s” disease but more and more women of our kind are getting diagnosed. I help raise awareness by participating in the annual Breast Cancer awareness walks in my college town and my hometown. It isn’t much as of now but it’s something that I can do. I also encourage my friends and family to check their breasts for anything. I do a check while I’m in the shower because I love my boobs and I don’t want anything going wrong lol
Hello.
For the last 4 years I have been undergoing mammograms and sonograms every 6 months and it has taken a toll on me and my daughter. I am a single parent with no family support and my extended family is extremely small so my daughter relies on me for everything and she is 11 years old. Back in April of 2013 I was informed that I must under go a biopsy on my right breast and it was scary to deal with this all alone. I was very fortunate that the test came back negative. It was very stressful for me during the time and my daughter often reminded me that I was being mean to her for no reason so I was forced to check myself and evaluate my behavior and improve our relationship cause we only have one another in this world. I was taught the value of love and life.
Thank you
Yolanda
Picture didn’t upload before 🙁
One of my tennis teammates took a season off. Unbeknownst to me, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy! She is back to playing tennis without missing a beat. This season we had a Breast Cancer Awareness theme at one of our home matches. We collected money for The Sport of Giving, a local Breast Cancer support organization. Here we are in all our pink. I’m sure you’ll have no problem picking me out. 🙂
My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. She had a mastectomy and completed chemotherapy. She is currently cancer free; however the impact of having cancer never leaves her. She explained to me that once you have cancer, for the rest of your life you’re afraid that it will return. Just this post Thursday my sis was upset and crying because she felt a lump in her remaining breast, luckily she had doctor’s appointment the following day. The doctor couldn’t feel anything but did perform an ultrasound. She explained that it could have just been breast tissue pain because nothing was visible on the ultrasound. I love my sister dearly and I try to encourage her to relax and not to get so stressed out about things. I can’t imagine her in my life as she is my only sibling also. When her hair began to fall out after her second treatment, we went together and got our hair shaved off, that was my first “big chop” and the beginning of my natural hair journey. I big-chopped again almost a year ago because of my own stress my hair had begun to break off. I’m happy to report that today my hair is stronger than ever and growing nicely. I’m going to include a pic from my first big chop.
How Breast Cancer has affected my life,my name is Cherice, my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer when daughter was 2, she’s 14 now. She was in remission on & off and each time the cancer was getting worse but she didn’t tell anyone, so in 2008 they diagnosed her as terminal… I asked her if she had gotten a second opinion and she told me no, so I took her to get one ( not knowing she knew for some time). We went to Emory her in Atlanta.. now at this time she was mixing up her day & night meds, so I told the doctor and said really there’s nothing we can do but put her in Hospice!! UGH.. she didn’t want to go, but my aunt didn’t want my mom to pass away in her home, so I got Power of Attorney over everything that she owned, I felt beaten because my mother and my aunt had been living together on & off since 1988, so can you imagine how my mom was feeling, she told me that NOBODY wants her… but I told her she can stay with me, but she didn’t want that, I had to put her in Hospice!!! She was in there 4-5 days and I tell you each day got worse, so I called all my family (from Ohio) that they need to start making their way to GA, everybody came except my sister ( my mom & sister were’nt speaking to each other), so she didn’t come. Monday came and my mom couldn’t respond by talking to us, she just made noises and started sweating a lot, by Tuesday she was gone!! She was the only parent I had, my dad wasn’t apart of my life! So me being the oldest of 2 I took care of everything, but I had great guidance, with this being your only parent and I never been in this situation before it was VERY HARD & EMOTIONAL, but I held it together for others because it seemed as if they needed my support at the time.. even though she was my mother, later once REALITY started settle in I was CRUSHED as if I couldn’t function without her! So now I am a license Cosmetologist ( it was something my mom told me I should get back into). I said to those that ask me why Cosmetology well, it runs in my family but I’m the only one with the license & I want to some day own my own salon & dedicate it to her!!!
*I don’t know how to upload pictures*
Breast Cancer hasn’t affected me personally, but I know it is a big problem out there. My school has been try to fund raise and have events by wearing pink for breast cancer. So we can show the community that there is a disease hurting and killing people.
Ten years ago the love of my life was diagnosed with breast cancer…..my mom. I can’t exactly say I remember how I felt when I found out but i remember every emotion after that. Maybe I went numb…..who knows. My mom never looked or acted “sick”. In fact she kept her hair in braids until she had to take them out and wash her hair. NOW THAT DAY I REMEMBER FONDLY. She had started her chemo treatments but we didn’t know what effect it had on her hair till we started taking out the braids. Together we took out the artificial hair, and with it also came out her hair. I was fine….at least I thought I was. It finally got to me, but I couldn’t let her see it. I just told her I’ll be right back and ran over to my neighbors house where my grandmother was and proceeded to cry like a baby. I got myself together, walked back home and continued to help her take out the rest of her hair. I actually kept the hair for several years. She never once felt sorry for herself and didn’t want anyone else to either. Her beautiful, bright, cheerful spirit and smile never faded. In honor of her, a group of her friends, myself and or course her…..participate in Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure every year. She’s my inspiration.
My mother was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at the beginning of last month, which happened to be breast cancer awareness month. It has been an emotional time for all of us. She just had surgery last week to remove the mass and will be undergoing radiation Monday through Friday everyday for the next six weeks. We are all so very thankful to God that the doctor has removed it, even though she still has to go through a lot. Every time that I have went to the grocery store in the month of October, I always donated money towards Breast Cancer. I encourage everyone to do so, if they can.
I haven’t been personal impacted by breast cancer, but i know friends whose mothers and grandmothers have been affected. My grandmother died from liver cancer, and i can only stress the importance of self examination and regular body assessment in order to catch any type of cancer before they metastasis. Losing my grandmother has influence my decision to be a nurse. As being part of the health care system, I can encourage and hopefully influence my patients especially women to get assessed for potential risk of breast cancer.
Thank you ladies for all of your submissions.
This contest is now closed!
I have had many aunts and cousins who have been diagnosed with different cancers, but it really took me for a loop when my best friend of 26 years was diagnosed with breast cancer four months ago. And watching her struggle between the chemo and radiology just helps me to focus more with helping her to survey the many sick and weak days she has been enduring. It also gave me more of a push to attend the breast cancer walks with my other sisters when they come up.