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Oct 9, 2007 9:19 am US/Eastern
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Breast Cancer Calender Girls Give Others Hope
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MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Breast cancer treatment, mastectomies or lumpectomies along with radiation and chemotherapy, can certainly save lives. But along with the cure can come disfigurement. Now, some breast cancer survivors are choosing to celebrate their new bodies by posing in a new calendar.
It's called the "Life is a Carnival Calendar" and proceeds benefit FacingOurRisk.Org, a website devoted to helping those who have a high rate of breast or ovarian cancer in their family.
All of the women in the 14-month calendar have a harrowing story to tell about breast cancer but this is a calendar full of young, attractive and vibrant women who have all had mastectomies.
To retain the anonymity of the models, they are wearing Mardi Gras masks in the photos. "As you know, during Mardi Gras you get beads for flashing your shirt and we thought this would be appropriate but everyone also is able to hide their face behind a mask," said Sue Friedman from FacingOurRisk.Org.
This project is meant to celebrate life after mastectomy, to showcase many types of reconstruction and nonreconstruction options in a nonthreatening and positive light, and to educate people about the different types of mastectomy and reconstruction.
Four years ago, CBS4'S Laurie Stein was diagnosed with breast cancer. When she went through chemotherapy, she lost her hair and was bald for seven months. Radiation left her tired and weak and she was worried that a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction would make her look even worse.
But that's why role models, like the women in this calendar are so important. Laurie's own role model was a friend named Lauren, who also had a double mastectomy and reconstruction and Laurie described her as looking "awesome". It was a comfort to know that new surgical techniques can make patients' breasts look not just normal but even better than before.
Some of the women in the calendar chose not to have any reconstruction which means there are some visible scars and not everyone looks perfect, but any breast cancer patient looking at the calendar will see she's not alone.
"I think it's very frightening and this eases the fear," said patient Florence Schweitzer.
For more information about the calendar,
Click Here for FacingYourRisk.Org or
Click Here for more facts about breast cancer from YoungSurvival.Org.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)