Transcript:
Greetings, beloved in Christ. I hope that you are well on this day, fall is here and it's October, which means it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that means it's time for you to hear once again from the Bishop of Colorado about how early detection is important. I was diagnosed in the fall of 2018 with invasive lobular carcinoma. I was fortunate to be diagnosed at stage one because with my particular kind of breast cancer, it can go undetected for months or years, and I was fortunate that I had a history of regular mammograms that my radiologist could notice small differences in, and I was diagnosed at stage one and treated. I stand here today cancer-free. I'm grateful every day for having the gift of early detection, for having my breast cancer treated quickly. I'm grateful every day that my sister harassed me not to skip my annual mammogram, even as I was headed on sabbatical.
And I promise that I have adhered to my annual mammogram schedule ever since. If you are privileged enough to have insurance that covers an annual mammogram, do it. If you have that privilege and you want to share that with people who are less fortunate, I invite you to contribute to organizations that help provide mammograms for all women. Early detection is key and it makes a difference in how cancer is treated. And in relation to prognosis. I am grateful every day for my ministry as Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Colorado, and I'm grateful that I continue cancer-free. If there's a woman in your life who's over 40 that you love, remind them to get their annual mammogram. If you know someone or your family has a history of breast cancer, know that you can qualify for mammograms as early as age 30. Know that all breast cancer is different, that every journey is unique, but what we do know is that early detection makes all the difference. Blessings.