There’s a reason why cancer is called the Big C – people often see it as this humongous health problem that most deem impossible to defeat. Just one mention of this illness and it’s hard to imagine a loved one or even yourself facing the disease head-on.
It doesn’t just affect you physiologically but also wreaks havoc in your emotional health. But, one way to perhaps get a step ahead of it is by normalizing it through talking and informing not just yourself, but others as well.
Giuliana Rancic’s Story
One of those trying to spread awareness on cancer is Giuliana Rancic, an E! News host and a sought-after celebrity.
She very well knows how cancer can take its toll for the patients because she herself had a bout with the deadly illness. But now, she is cancer-free for almost 10 years and she is using her voice to help those who are in the battle.
Giuliana’s story started when she was 36, enjoying life as a successful and in-demand personality, living life to the fullest. However, her life suddenly took a turn when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Imagine that she had to deal with the bad news at a time when she was struggling for about a year with infertility, a reproductive disease that had hit her and husband “Apprentice” alum Bill Rancic.
What made it worse was that her family had no known history of breast cancer nor did she have any symptoms related to it – in short, she was left dumbfounded of the news. In an interview Giuliana admitted that the illness got the better of her in the early years, explaining that it was what she was thinking about every waking moment.
Double Mastectomy
In 2011, the same year she was diagnosed, the mom of one had undergone a double mastectomy, which according to the BreastCancer.org is a surgery to remove the whole two breasts. After this, Giuliana was required to take Tamoxifen, which was said to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back, for five years. As expected, she had to leave her work behind to focus on her health more.
After the recovery, she was ready to go back to work. Sitting on the make-up artist’s chair, Giuliana narrated, her attention got called by someone giving her cue.
Then and there, she finally saw herself in the mirror and remembered who she was and what she was doing pre-cancer. She remembered that there was another person inside of her and not just the illness.
C3 Prize
And so, she and Astellas Oncology teamed up for an initiative called C3 Prize that helps people suffering from breast cancer somehow make a difference in their daily bout against cancer.
The program is a competition open for anyone who has a brilliant idea on how to help those affected by the illness in whichever ways they could think of.
Bill pointed out that you don’t have to be an expert, but you only need a concept that could make a difference to the breast cancer community. Up for grabs is $200,000 to fuel the idea.