Amanda Power and Keri-Lynn Cramm, two courageous women from Newfoundland and Labrador, have been telling their stories about breast cancer. They illustrate, better than anything else, how important early detection and access to life-saving screenings can be. Their stories ring especially true right now, as we step into the month of October, the official Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, we have seen some big shifts in breast cancer screening guidelines. By lowering the self-referral age to 40, younger women now have more access to vital health services.
Power, a progressive grassroots leader, was diagnosed with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer this past February. Cramm, meanwhile, received a shocking stage-four breast cancer diagnosis while she was pregnant. These personal experiences made both women passionate promoters of awareness and early detection for cancer screening. They prioritize increasing access for young people, especially young people with disabilities.
New Screening Age Sparks Advocacy
Until now, Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial breast screening program conducted by the provincial health authority was only offered to women 50 and older. The recent policy relaxation permitting self-referral at 40 has improved access, making it possible for more women to pursue these screenings earlier. Even with this progress, some advocates are still working to lower the age limit even more.
Keri-Lynn Cramm, now 31, told ABC that she was upset she wasn’t screened sooner.
“I should have been an easy yes when I asked for breast screening when I was in my early 20s,” – Keri-Lynn Cramm
This statement serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for cultural change. We need to invest in prevention, especially for young women who should be protected from potential risks.
Amanda Power has been a public advocate for the unique struggles that women in rural communities encounter. She points out that these women typically wait longer for imaging services. She pointed out the egregious lack of education regarding breast density in the province. This disparity might contribute to women being less informed about their individual heart risk.
Personal Journeys and Lessons Learned
Both women have taken to the social media platforms to document their breast cancer journeys. Power has been candid about her struggles on social media, chronicling how she’s learned to be resilient in a shattering storm.
“Sometimes being strong doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t have bad days,” – Amanda Power
Her own journey motivates her to empower others to fight for their health. She hopes that, like her, women will feel empowered to seek out these important screenings and raise their voices about their health needs.
“Use your voice. Don’t be scared to be labelled. Don’t be scared because it’s your life, and you just need to advocate for yourself,” – Power
Cramm’s experience has been equally harrowing. From the time of her diagnosis, she was able to get her tumor safely and effectively removed in just 37 days. She speaks candidly about feeling a sense of inevitability about her diagnosis given a family history of breast cancer.
“I always worried about getting breast cancer because of my aunt and grandmother,” – Keri-Lynn Cramm
Both women believe that systemic changes are required in healthcare practices to be more responsive and effective at helping their patients.
The Need for Comprehensive Healthcare
Newfoundland and Labrador’s health system has a history of being more reactive than proactive. Amanda Power, Policy Analyst at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, spoke to this point by asserting that the system needs to shift to focus on prevention.
“The system needs to be proactive, I feel that we’re a very reactive system,” – Power
Building on the theme of storytelling, Power stressed the value of women telling their stories. This was a new experience for me, though she explained that many of her friends were diagnosed in the same way after undergoing mammography.
“One of my friends got a mammogram and was diagnosed in early April,” – Power
Amanda Power and Keri-Lynn Cramm talk about their incredible journeys as women living with breast cancer. Through their stories, we see the danger in a lack of education and access to screening for all women, and why these measures are critical to ensuring their health.
