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Hannah Powell-Auslam: a ten-year-old with breast cancer
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by Amy Judd | May 19, 2009 at 12:25 pm
1469 views | 4 Recommendations | 4 comments
Hannah Powell-Auslam is only ten-years old, and is just like other girls her age, except for one major difference, she has breast cancer.
This is very rare, one in ten women will get breast cancer, but this cancer in a child is almost unheard of, but Hannah is determined to fight the disease.
But Hannah says when she learned her diagnosis, just last month, she wondered, " 'How could this happen? I'm ten.' I was really shocked."
After Hannah felt a lump, doctors did an ultra-sound and discovered a tumor spanning nearly two inches. She has secretory carcinoma, a slow-growing cancer.
"The mass consists of both the solid component and also the fluid component, (which) we call the cystic component," surgical oncologist Dr. Helena Chang explained.
Both Hannah and her mother couldn't believe what they were being told, and Hannah had to have a mastectomy. However, now the cancer has spread to a lymph node, which will mean more surgery and chemotherapy, but she cannot have radiation.
"If you radiate the developing breast," Chang says, "it will never grow develop fully, because it becomes atrophic."
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The website OurLittleSweetPea.com has been set up by Hannah's family to spread the news about her cancer and her life.
Hannah however, is staying positive and upbeat and wants to be an example for other children:
"I'm going to set an example," Hannah vows. "If there's something wrong with your body, you tell your parents."
Her story was showcased on The Early Show today and her and her mom urges girls to tell their parents if they notice something unusual about their bodies, as it may not just be a part of growing up.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton agreed, stressing that, "When girls are going through puberty and their bodies are changing, there are a lot of changes, physical, social and emotional. It can be an awkward time. Trust your instincts. We have to teach our daughters to trust their bodies, to not be afraid to bring something to their parents' attention, to their doctors' attention. And likewise, for the parent to say to the doctor, 'This is not right. Please investigate it.' The statistics are only there in medicine to guide us. There are always exceptions."
Her story is an exception to the rule of breast cancer, but her mom and doctors want her story to be heard so that other children don't suffer the same mistake.
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 04:44 on May 20th, 2009
Keep smiling Hannah both my daughter and I were diagnosed with breast cancer within weeks of each other 4 years ago and we are doing fine now. Stay strong, we are thinking of you.
at 05:25 on June 3rd, 2009
Hannah
I saw your story on GMA this morning. I just have to say you are one of the most beautiful young ladies that I have ever seen.....with or without hair! You are beautiful both on the outside and inside. You have great spirit!! I am also a survivor...5 yrs. The best of luck to you.
at 13:00 on June 3rd, 2009
That is what child obesity does.
at 09:04 on June 7th, 2009
What a wicked thing to say, shame on you. I hope you and your family never have to suffer cancer.