Argumentative Essay On Breast Cancer

On November 23, 2012, my grandmother was admitted to the hospital due to breathing issues. Although she had been exceedingly ill in previous months, she never seemed weaker, and her condition only worsened as days passed. When the doctors shared the x-rays with us, it was clear what had caused her downfall. The nefarious masses plagued her body, sucking the life from her without mercy, and although she latter lost her battle, eternal rest came swiftly and painlessly. The largest of the tumors was found in her left breast, which had caused her inability to breath, and it was confirmed soon after her death, that breast cancer had spread through her lymph nodes and to the rest of her body. She chose not to receive treatment and was very skilled …show more content…
The wonderful, cheerful woman I once admired was now gone. So how did this happen? What is breast cancer? As stated by the American Breast Cancer Society, when cell growth in the breast loses control, a malignant tumor can invade tissues that surround it and may spread to different areas in the body ("What Is Breast Cancer?"). As a result, the most common notifying symptoms are lumps or masses found in the area of the breast. Those with “irregular edges are more likely to be cancerous,” however, this type of cancer can vary with each individual ("Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer"). As advised by the American Breast Cancer Society, “any new breast mass or lump or breast change,” to be monitored by an experienced physician who specializes in diseases of the breast ("Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer"). Other symptoms that can possibly arise are swelling of all or part of a breast, irritation of the skin or dimpling, pain in the breast or nipple, and the turning inward of the nipple. Any redness, scaling, or thickening of the nipple or skin on the breast should be seen by a professional doctor, as well as any discharge. The most common type of breast cancer is invasive ductal …show more content…
I did not understand what cancer was, but all I knew was that my aunt was sick. Once I asked her, “tia Carmen, what happened to your hair?” My parents scolded me for asking, but she only retorted with a smile and “it’s okay. I have cancer, mijita. The medicine I take makes my hair fall out.” Wigs that she no longer needed were given to my sister and me for dress up, and I remember how much fun we had playing with them. I remember when her hair began to grow back and how happy she was. Unfortunately, my grandmother was not so lucky. Her cancer had escalated to stage four, and it had claimed her. Those last days of her life were spent in a hospital bed with tubing that engulfed her, and her very heart was kept beating by machines. It was decided amongst her children that the machines which gave her artificial life, were to be turned off, and soon after, her heart simply stopped beating, and she was laid to rest in eternal sleep. She was only sixty-five years