I don't believe it.

Pip47

Recently diagnosed with dcis I contacted my daughter to check when she last went for a mammogram as it was she was booked in for the following week. Then I rang my sister to ask when her last one was and to my disbelief, dismay, anger her answer was that she had never had one. Wasn't even keen on the idea, her answer was, well you have to die of something. She is 67 I still can't believe it, I have started nagging who knows if I'll get through. Dumb dumb dumb

kmakm

It's very challenging isn't it. When one of my sisters was in her late 30s I discovered that she'd never had a pap smear. I was astounded.

We live in a society that can save us from many ills, but huge swathes of people won't immunise, or get the regular scans and tests that are available. I doubt that nagging will do anything. Maybe just once a year you can ask her if she's had her mammogram yet and leave it at that.

Getting a mammogram almost certainly saved my life. My tumour was so deep I would have been a goner by the time it would have made itself known.

I watched my sister die of breast cancer. Let me just say it wasn't like it's portrayed in the movies... I hope your sister reconsiders. K xox

arpie

Shame, @Pip47 - but sadly, you can't force them into it.  I haven't asked my sister when her last one was (she is a year older than I) - I just hope that she would be smart enough to work it out for herself!   

Yep, dumb, dumb, dumb - maybe your experience will prompt her - but try not to take her reluctance to go onto your own shoulders - you've done the best you can to encourage her.

I'm the only one in my family to ever have any sort of cancer - so would hope it can show that anyone can get it at any time & early detection is the best chance of a better outcome. 

take care, & all the best for your surgery  xx
 

June1952

I guess we have to understand that not everyone grew up in a world when our parents were tested (I am 67 and my Mum died at 95 - never tested so who knows ?).  Some days I wish I wasn't proactive and got tested !  Be patient, please, we are not all as young and educated as you.  

kitkatb

@Pip47 I do understand your frustration, but ultimately I agree with the others  and hope she see's sense sooner than later. I go by the old adage "oil the gate that squeaks"  It does still amaze me in this day and age when we have the choice of being able to be so proactive people still don't choose to do it.  I concentrate more now on letting everyone I know that if they do have a mammogram to ask the radiographer if they have dense breasts and if the answer if yes then I tell them to go and get an ultrasound.  ( re previous threads that WA is the only state in Australia who is proactive about this as well as promoting people over 40 to get mammograms. I was simply unaware how many women in their 40's get diagnosed with this bloody disease  )   Good luck xox

Afraser

I very much doubt if my mother was ever tested. Tests have been much more publicised over the last three decades and it’s worth remembering that the word cancer was something to whisper in the 60s and 70s - it’s hard to be proactive about something that’s not mentioned. Just keep encouraging. 

primek

At the end of the day all we can do is educate. 
Before I had breast cancer...I held a girls night in...but we had it as afternoon event as some older ladies were invited.
My sister and I created games...snakes and ladders....when you landed on a square a health question was asked and you went up and down depending on the health choices you made.
We had pin the tattas on margs boobies. And i had ladies health information brochures with phone numbers etc. I lit a candle for my sister that died of bc...and many ladies asked me about health stuff they never asked their Drs.
I've also tried to do an education session at a staff meeting ...well a reminder in pink October and had a prickly response....well until I was diagnosed. My fellow work mates were lining up having mammograms that year.
At the end of the day it's their choice. All we can do is educate and have info to hand out...you can offer to be a support person. ..but it's still a personal choice. My Sister in law died needlessly of uterine cancer as she chose to never have anything checked. A mistake her daughter will never make.

Blondy

My bestie who was my Ra Ra girl throughout my treatment, has a sister who had breast cancer about 4 years ago, another sister with brain cancer, both surviving and very recently her husband had bowel cancer. She also works once a month on look good, feel good. BUT can I get her to have a mammogram, NO 

Blossom1961

My Auntie refuses to have a colonoscopy. Every one of her four maternal aunts plus her mum had bowel cancer or polyp cells that were turning cancerous. Her two brothers and sister had bowel cancer. She is frightened of what they will find and prefers to stay ignorant. 

Sister

I can understand the fear of what I might be told so I do empathise with people who don't get checked.  It is so much easier to put your head firmly in the sand.  But I try to tell people (as I tell myself), not knowing is not going to make it different - just more advanced and possibly untreatable when it's eventually found.  But to add another metaphor, you can only lead the horse to water...

I love the sound of that game of snakes and ladders @primek Do you still have a copy of it?

Pip47

None of us knows what the future holds, we can only look after ourselves with what tests and treatment is available at the time. Healthy thoughts coming to all.

Blondy

And then along came scanxiety.