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A Metastatic Breast Cancer Thriver Shares the Importance of Understanding Your Diagnosis

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Understanding a diagnosis is not just something for a patient's care team, the patient needs to understand their diagnosis as well.

Receiving a misdiagnosis and being treated for the wrong type of breast cancer for five years led Stephanie Seban to discover the importance of knowing her own diagnosis. That’s why Seban, now a wellness advocate and cancer thriver, shares her story with others — in the hope of inspiring them to learn all they can about their own diagnosis and be their own best advocates.

At the 37th Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference® and CURE® Educated Patient Breast Cancer Summit, Seban explained why, despite the fear one might feel, learning all you can about your diagnosis is key to feeling more empowered on your cancer journey.

Transcription:

Definitely get a second opinion and know your diagnosis. (I’ve met) so many women, over my almost nine years of advocating, and I’ll ask them, “What kind of breast cancer do you have?” and they don’t know.

No judgment, sometimes less is more and you’re fearful and I understand that, but knowing your diagnosis, knowing the drugs that you’re on, knowing their specific functions, knowing what’s in the pipeline for new treatments to come is so important and allows you to feel empowered and a little bit in control of something that’s so out of control. So definitely get to know your diagnosis.

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