ESPN’s SportCenter news anchor Hannah Storm was recently diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2024. Storm was shocked at the news when she was given the diagnosis. Storm was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). DCIS is a “stage zero” form of breast cancer because it is curable before it spreads throughout the body. Hannah had always gone to her yearly annual mammogram appointments. According to Storm, she had no symptoms of breast cancer. No risk factors, no lumps, and no family history of breast cancer. Storm shared her story with former ESPN anchor, now Good Morning America’s host Robin Roberts on her journey of being diagnosed and importance of breast cancer screening on how important it is. Robin Roberts can also relate to Hannah’s journey with breast cancer because she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at 46 years old in 2007. She received a bone marrow transplant that saved her life and she is in good health as of today.
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Breast Cancer Statistics in Women
According to the Center of Disease Control, there are 240,000 cases of breast cancer in women each year and 42,000 women in the U.S. lose their life to breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death of cancer in women. The chances of women dying from cancer is about 1-40 (2.5%). Also, 40-50% of women have “dense breasts” and this requires an ultrasound to make sure there is no breast cancer.
Hannah Storm Encouraging Women to get Screened for Breast Cancer
Now that Hannah has faced a scary and shocking reality that any woman can get breast cancer without having risk factors is encouraging to get screened. It is very important for all women to get screened every year for breast cancer. As for Hannah, she was one of the luckiest to have caught the cancer early enough to where it was treatable. Storm is very fortunate that her doctors caught her breast cancer in the early stages of its development. She is advocating and stressing that women should not be scared to go get a mammogram every year. Hannah Storm just wants women to have the information and knowledge to not be afraid of getting routine check ups every year with their doctor. Catching breast cancer early can save someone’s life instead of ending it.