ABC MODELS TELL US THEIR STORY
Mastering life with breast cancer
All our models have undergone breast surgery. They each had their own experience with breast cancer and have overcome many challenges. Read some of their stories here - we hope that you will find inspiration and encouragement in them!
Would you like to become one of our models or share your very own story?
IThe breast cancer diagnosis in 2016 was a huge shock and a turning point in my life. My then 14-year-old son Jonas said to me: “Mom, I want to see you laugh again.” His words touched me, shook me awake and reminded me what is important. I made a conscious decision to embrace the lust for life in order to actively promote my healing journey and looked for ways to support it. In doing so, I discovered the holistic method of laughter yoga. It helped me to mobilize my inner strength and remain confident during such stressful times. Today, I am a joie de vivre coach and laughter yoga trainer and help other people find their way back to the sunny side of life: despite it all. Because life is too short to save it for later. “Now” is always the best time to experience the beautiful moments and to be happy. Working as a model for custom breast prostheses at ABC is a lot of fun and has made me more self-confident. I like to travel with my husband, but also alone and I enjoy invaluable “girlfriend time”. I allow myself regular periods of rest and to take time off. I have learned to take good care of my needs and to keep moving forward with courage. All this makes it easier for me to master the challenges of everyday life. It’s a concern for me to pass on these insights to other women. Yes, there is life after breast cancer and it can be wonderful! Believe in it and remain hopeful!
All the best
Love Inge
My name is Monika and I am 46 years old. It's been seven years since my cancer diagnosis and so far all aftercare appointments followed a similar pattern: uncertainty about what's to come, then a nice chat with the radiologist, the all-clear and finally, moving on as before. Over the years, however, I have learned to deal more consciously with the emotions, challenges and even the stress. I practice yoga every day and take frequent “breath work breaks” at my job - just one minute to retreat and breathe slowly is enough for me. I invest a lot of my time to prepare healthy meals, enjoy life with my family and have a happy relationship. Soon after I fell ill, I learned from a psychologist that there's no point in worrying about what might come, as it lies in the future and extreme worry will only ruin the “now”. My advice: enjoy the little moments of happiness, celebrate every birthday and don't waste your time with negative thoughts!
It's now been 8 years since breast surgery both good but also turbulent years.
NAfter taking up exercising again, I feel
in top form: I walked the Camino de Santiago for the second time, qualified as a lifeguard this year and run up the mountains almost every weekend. Music plays a big part in my life as well; I can really let off steam when I'm drumming. There have been changes with great impact on my family life, but here too, I have found the strength to cope with them and feel better today than ever before. Only the screening tests and any perceived changes in my breast tissue are able to throw me off balance until I have the results and can breathe calmly again. To all women: stay courageous and look for your individual sources of strength, then you’ll be able to manage the unthinkable.
Sabine
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. I had imagined my 50th birthday to be quite different, partly because this age represents a turning point in the lives of many women. I was so optimistic when I went for my mammogram, grateful for the opportunity of this preventive medical screening, and then couldn't believe it. The phone conversation with the doctor was surreal. I questioned the result, but with great empathy the doctor insisted I have another examination including a biopsy. The result was clear, I had breast cancer. Oh God, who would I tell, what would happen to my 9-year-old son, how would I tell him, would I tell him at all? Who will look after him when I'm in the hospital and what happens in the aftermath? These were the most pressing questions for me. After the first consultation at the Rosenheim Hospital, all I remembered was the doctors saying: Considering the circumstances you are in luck - it’s slow-growing, easy to localize, everything else will be discussed after surgery. Well, what really does that mean? Only 5 years after the diagnosis I felt able to ask myself this question, until then the coping mechanism of suppression seemed to work quite well. Quickly I got a spot and followed the procedure in the certified breast center. The care at the hospital was outstanding really, the doctors and nurses were very professional and all their processes were routine procedures. Yet, I found myself in such a state of shock that I didn't know what I should or should not ask. So I just went along with it and hoped that I would survive. Today, 7 years later, I can say that it went well for me. I underwent breast-conserving surgery, for which I am so grateful. But the concern about it won’t end, these thoughts come and go. And thank God they go. I'm learning daily to deal with it. I still have my annual check-ups with anxious anticipation. Luckily, I have a female radiologist who explains to me year and year again the type of cancer based on the clinical findings. This really does lower my feelings of anxiety and I can look more optimistically to the future. Education, I believe, but in such a way that the whole process is understood by the patient, is crucial in dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. What else can you do? I am slowly starting to talk about the disease and to say out loud the word cancer, even to people who aren’t affected. What has helped me most is exercise - core training, horse riding, yoga - it clears my head and I can connect to the strength inside me while learning to let go. Building a network takes time, and after years I have now found my dragon boat team. They always remind me what is possible in life, even with this illness. !
