Local Breast Cancer Survivor Will Race for a Cure

"When he called I was just like, 'Oh my gosh.'  I was just a mess."

Four years ago, Kay Young was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"A very good friend of mine and a breast cancer survivor she said in her little talk that one in eight women in the room would get breast cancer that year," said Young.  "I thought well I'll just do a self exam while I'm in the shower, and I did and I felt a tiny, tiny lump.  I went for my mammogram, had an ultrasound and found out that it was cancer.  I was just a mess, but you know it's all a lot in your attitude and I decided you know, I can fight this.  I chose to have the double mastectomy.  After visiting with some friends who had had the single mastectomy they said 'well wish we had done the double', so I just thought, you know, take them both."

It may now seem like it, after losing both breasts, but Mrs. Young said she is one of the lucky ones.

"You know what sometimes I feel guilty because I found it so early and I didn't have to go through radiation or chemo, but it's out there, it's out there," Young said.  "And October is the time of year, it's sad that we don't do it every month, but October is the time of year that women really need to pay attention to their bodies.  And early detection is what it's all about."

But when asked about the possibility of it coming back Young said that it's always a thought in her mind, "You never know, you never know, but great support, especially my husband and all my friends everyone is just really there for you.  And prayers, and faith, that's the biggest part of it, too. You just have to keep a good positive attitude, hang in there and say I'm going to be ok, I'm going to be ok."

The 18th Annual Race for the Cure will be this Saturday at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. 
Opening ceremonies begin at 8 a.m. 

You can register online at www.komen.lubbock.org or in person at the South Plains Mall
 -Thursday, October 4th Noon - 7 p.m.
 -Friday, October 5th 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Individual registration is $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and younger.
Registration is $20 for breast cancer survivors.