CHECK YOUR BREASTS! 30 May '13

I am a teacher at Pinehill School (primary) in Auckland. Yesterday one of my former pupils, a gentle, sensitive Chinese boy, very kindly helped me to my car as I had my hands full. I asked him casually how his mum was as she is a lovely lady and I hadn't seen her for a while.
He said "she's ok now."
To which I replied "what do you mean now?"
"Oh she's had cancer."
Coincidentally I saw her at school the very next day.
It turns out that she has an aggressive form of cancer and had a 30% chance of survival if she didn't have chemotherapy. She is currently still going through chemo and has lost her hair - she looks great in her wig. I wouldn't have known if she didn't tell me. The great thing is that I believe she will be a survivor. She had a really good positive outlook and was fighting it. Interestingly she had regular checks (mammograms) and a month before her check up she found the lump. My aunty Paula who I mention above had had her check and 3 or 4 months later found the lump. That's 2 very good reasons why we need to check our breasts regularly!