MISSION: Month of Missions: Breast Cancer Awareness

Secret Agent L is all too familiar with this disease. Not only has she witnessed loved ones and friends battle this disease, she's had her own near brush with it. In September of 2006, when she was only 28 years old, she found a lump in her left breast. After an excisional biopsy, the lump turned out to be an atypical papilloma: a tumor right between cancer and non-cancer. (In other words, had it not been removed, it was on its way to becoming malignant. The cells were morphing. Not good!) She had her first mammogram at the age of 29, she has an oncologist she sees regularly, she is considered High Risk (5x more likely to develop breast cancer in her lifetime as a result of the finding), and she gets mammograms on a regular basis. She is now 31 years old. She will be (hopefully) receiving her first breast MRI this coming February, which will give a much better picture of her overall breast health.

As a result, breast cancer awareness is very near and dear to Secret Agent L's heart. And she hopes it is close to yours as well.

So, for the month of October, all missions completed by Secret Agent L and her Affiliated Agents will center around Breast Cancer Awareness. Think pink, everyone! And ladies, do those Breast Self Exams (BSEs)!!


Date: Thursday, 1 October 2009

Time: 8:37 a.m.

Location: Pittsburgh. Hillman Cancer Center. Third floor, Women's Cancer Program Specialty Center.

The Hillman Cancer Center is an amazing place. Secret Agent L goes there regularly to meet with her oncologist and to get her mammograms. It's a fantastically beautiful building. This gorgeous sculpture below welcomes you as you pull up for valet parking at the entrance of the building.

The third floor is Secret Agent L's usual stop. Today was no different.

She left her gift in the ladies' restroom. The Women's Cancer Program Specialty Center is a very busy place, and there were a lot of people there this morning, so Secret Agent L had to be as discreet as possible: hence, the restroom.

She hopes this little journal will be an inspirational and safe place for a woman battling breast cancer to write her hopes and fears. And Secret Agent L sends loving thoughts to every woman battling this disease. A cure is possible in our lifetime!

(The journal featured in today's mission can be found at Compendium's website, along with many other wonderful and inspirational gifts for those battling cancer.)