DENVER – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Denver7 is highlighting the voices of community members who have been touched by the disease.
This Sunday, Oct. 26, our weekly social equity talk-show, "Real Talk with Micah Smith," will highlight three community stories of loss, healing, and hope.
Rhonda’s story
Rhonda Abdulla worked for Welton Street Café for about 20 years.
“She loved giving out hugs. She loved making sure the whole entire family was taken care of. Whenever you walked in, if you didn't see me, you saw her, and we were like the dynamic duo,” said Fathima Dickerson, owner of Welton Street Café. “In 2016, Rhonda was diagnosed with breast cancer, and so she got through all the treatments. We beat it in about 2018. In 2021, it came back a second time, and so we (the restaurant) closed in 2022. Rhonda ended up passing in 2023.”
Dickerson said for years, Welton Street Café, in recognition of Rhonda’s diagnosis and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, decorated the restaurant in pink ribbons. This year was no different.
“Every October, we would have pink shirts. Rhonda had breast cancer plates on her car, you know, I actually had a breast cancer ribbon on my register," Dickerson said. "And so, she worked fully through her treatment. She didn't want to stop, you know, she was just like, 'I got to keep going. The people need me.' She was very determined."
Dickerson said Abdulla will always be remembered for how she lived, and it’s important to raise awareness about the disease that had a profound impact on her life.
George’s story
Breast cancer survivor George Human is helping raise awareness that this disease is not exclusive to women.
“I felt a little lump under my left nipple, and really didn't, as a guy, didn't give it much consideration, thought it might have been a cyst or something. I stumbled and hit it on a door jam, and it was excruciatingly painful enough so that I felt I should go see a doctor. Once I saw my primary care physician, this whole thing matriculated to biopsy, surgery, chemo, radiation... It was a long summer,” Human said. “I had a lot of support. My wife was a wonderful support; she was there. My daughters were supportive. My son-in-law was supportive. It was terribly hard to find support groups for men. When I researched, I found thousands of groups for women with breast cancer, but only two or three for men. One was the Men's Global Breast Cancer Alliance.”
Human said the group helped him navigate the disease, and he wants other people to know about the network.
A disturbing trend
Dr. Kayla Griffith, specialty-trained breast surgeon at Rose Medical Center, said more young women are being diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Breast cancer has been a disease and an illness of older women. The average age has been 62 to 64, but we're seeing the most dramatic increase in the last few years in women diagnosed under the age of 50, and especially under the age of 40. We're seeing a major surge in women in their 30s and early 40s,” Dr. Griffith said. “I would say over half of my patients are under the age of 50. I specialize in young women with breast cancer, and the age to start screening mammograms is age 40, right? So, a lot of these women are getting diagnosed before we're actually doing any of the screening to detect them. So, by the time they are being diagnosed, these are palpable masses.”
You can watch the full interviews with Dickerson, Human, and Griffith on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 5:30 p.m. on Denver7.
