A story we have heard so many times- a young woman finding a breast lump just months after having her mammogram. At the age of 41, Jennifer James discovered a golf ball-sized lump on the side of her chest. She immediately got it checked by her physician, who sent her for testing which revealed a breast cancer diagnosis. As a way of processing her experiences as she went through treatment, Jennifer started chronicling her journey.
Jen shared her surprise by how some people reacted to her diagnosis, and how many women said they haven’t had a mammogram because they were afraid what it would find. This empowered Jennifer to begin authoring a book about her journey, to encourage women to take charge of their health. Jennifer wanted to ensure that she was sharing accurate information about risk reduction and appropriate early detection methods. In November of 2018, Jen traveled to Long Island to participate in the Maurer Foundation Training and Certification program. Over the course of two days, Jen learned that by altering our lifestyles we can greatly impact our breast cancer risk, although many risk factorsAnything that increases or decreases a person’s chance of developing a disease. are uncontrollable like family history and breast density. Jennifer trained in the MammaCare method of breast-exam, a skill in which many women need additional training.
After her workshop, Jennifer reflected on her experience ,”Eileen was AMAZING. I can’t give her enough praises. I am so happy that I came all the way from California to do the one-on-one training with her. I found it so beneficial and it will be really helpful moving forward with writing my book and educating others.” If you are interested in learning more about the Maurer Foundation Training and Certification program, check this out.