When we are in situations in which others will see our cancer scars, do we have to explain them or worry about what someone else thinks?
BY Dana Stewart
PUBLISHED January 16, 2018
Dana Stewart was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 at the age of 32. She is the co-founder of a cancer survivorship organization called The Dragonfly Angel Society. She volunteers as an advocate and mentor, focusing on young adults surviving cancer. She enjoys writing about life as a cancer survivor, as well as connecting survivors to the resources, inspirations and stories that have helped her continue to live her best life, available at www.dragonflyangelsociety.com.
I often talk about my fears of cancer, which always circle back to fear that it will come back or is already back and I just don't know it. I know it's a typical fear of cancer survivors, and even after seven years, I still find myself working through those thoughts quite consistently. The fears of recurrence often mask any other fears of cancer I have until I come across a random fear on my journey.
The latest in my not-so-frequent fears made a special appearance this week. I am in a wedding this spring. With that comes certain obligations which include wearing a bridesmaid dress. All normal activities so far, right? So where does a cancer fear fit in here? Keep with me. The usual process with getting a bridesmaid dress involves going to some sort of bridal shop and getting fitted for said dress which means getting assisted and measured by someone else. This person more often than not doesn't know you or your story. OK, usually it wouldn't matter either. Well, let's also throw in the person being fitted is a breast cancer survivor and doesn't have the same body anymore that a normal woman would have. Insert me into the story. That no-so-normal looking woman is me.
The latest in my not-so-frequent fears made a special appearance this week. I am in a wedding this spring. With that comes certain obligations which include wearing a bridesmaid dress. All normal activities so far, right? So where does a cancer fear fit in here? Keep with me. The usual process with getting a bridesmaid dress involves going to some sort of bridal shop and getting fitted for said dress which means getting assisted and measured by someone else. This person more often than not doesn't know you or your story. OK, usually it wouldn't matter either. Well, let's also throw in the person being fitted is a breast cancer survivor and doesn't have the same body anymore that a normal woman would have. Insert me into the story. That no-so-normal looking woman is me.
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