EX-NFL STAR WILLIAMS DOING HIS PART TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER
/Ex-NFL star Williams doing his part to fight breast cancer
By Robert Foreman
Like many people the world over DeAngelo Williams’ life has been forever changed by breast cancer. The former NFL player’s mother, Sandra, died from breast cancer in 2006. Additionally, all four of his mother’s sisters succumbed to the disease before the age of 50. However, rather than let his grief overwhelm him Williams opted to turn his pain into action. Starting in 2015, The DeAngelo Williams Foundation began a campaign called “53 Strong for Sandra”, which was inspired by the memories of his mother and aunts. Initially, Williams chose to pay for 53 mammograms because his mother died at the age of 53.
The foundation began holding mammogram screening events in North Carolina to aid under-insured women and has since expanded the events to other states. Additionally, the foundation provides financial support for follow-up exams and treatments. In the last five years, Williams’ generosity has helped to sponsor over 500 mammograms at hospitals in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Arkansas. The former NFL running back is not just putting his name and money to a cause; he often attends the events to show his support.
For anyone who has faced breast cancer, or has watched a loved one battle the disease, it is a wrenching ordeal. According to BreastCancer.org, the statistics for breast cancer are sobering to say the least. About 1 in 8 American women will develop invasive breast cancer and it is estimated that 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2019. While breast cancer is often considered a disease that impacts only women, men are also susceptible to it. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is estimated to be 1 in 883 and it is expected that 2,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2019.
While death rates related to breast cancer have declined due to treatment and earlier detection, well over 40,000 women in the U.S. are expected to die from the disease this year. Sadly, breast cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common form of cancer that women face. Breast cancer tends to strike African-American women under 45 more than white women in the same age range. In fact, African-American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than women from any other group.
Years ago I watched a family member face her own battle with breast cancer and it was traumatic for both her and the entire family. Within three days of her discovering a lump in her breast, she endured a biopsy, a breast cancer diagnosis and had her right breast removed. The cancer was so aggressive that she did not have time to come to terms with her diagnosis before her world was changed forever. Yet despite all that she endured she survived and her cancer has been in remission for years. However, she, like many other survivors, continues to live with the fear that the cancer may return.
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is important that people learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. The National Breast Cancer Foundation notes that many of the symptoms of breast cancer are invisible and can only be detected through a professional screening. Yet, if a woman notices abnormal changes in her nipples or breasts, she should immediately seek out a medical opinion. While my relative had no close family history of cancer, a woman who has a mother, sister or daughter that has been stricken with the disease will see her risk of developing cancer double.
Breast cancer does not have one all-encompassing form. There are different types with Metastatic breast cancer being the most commonly known. It is classified as Stage 4 breast cancer in which the disease usually spreads to the lungs, brain, bones or liver. Depending on the form of breast cancer that someone has there are five treatment options that are available. These include surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, targeted therapies and chemotherapy. Some treatments are more localized and will focus on the tumor and the surrounding area. Other treatments will target the entire body with cancer fighting agents.
That is why Williams and his foundation should be commended for the work that they are doing on the behalf of fighting breast cancer. If more professional athletes and celebrities were willing to put their fame, time and money toward making a positive impact on other people’s lives the world would be a better place. Anyone seeking further information about The DeAngelo Williams Foundation can view their website at: https://deangelowilliams34.org
