When Griselda Garibay was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44, the news came as a shock. The Chicago resident moved to the United States from Mexico when she was 12. Now the mother of two daughters, she had no symptoms, no family history of the disease and considered herself healthy. “I was d oing all the right things,” Garibay, a breast cancer survivor, health advisor and nonprofit leader, told NBC Local. The diagnosis came on May 10, Mother’s Day in Mexico and much of Latin America, a date she had always associated with celebrating family. “I won’t forget it,” she said. “Not in a bad way.” Garibay’s experience reflects what researchers say is one of the most persistent misconceptions about breast cancer. While nearly all women recognize family history as a risk factor, most women who develop breast cancer don’t actually have one. A new American Cancer Society (ACS) survey of nearly 33,000 women found that 99% of respondents identified family history as a breast cancer risk factor. Yet more than 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. “It’s important that women don’t assume they’re safe simply because no one in their family has had breast cancer,” said Dr. Curtis Miyamoto, an ACS cancer researcher and professor at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. “Family history is one risk factor, but it’s far from the whole story.” Breast cancer occurs most often in middle-aged and older women, with a median diagnosis age of 63. Still, about 1 in 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than 45. Breast cancer risk is more complicated than most people think Garibay said her diagnosis forced her and her family to confront another common misunderstanding: that healthy habits can completely protect someone from cancer. The diagnosis was especially confusing for her daughter. “My little one said, ‘But mom, why did you get cancer? You eat broccoli,’” Garibay recalled. Griselda Garibay with her husband and daughter. (Photo: Griselda Garibay) Miyamoto said healthy behaviors remain important. Exercising regularly, limiting alcohol consumption and maintaining a healthy weight can help lower breast cancer risk, and researchers estimate that more than 30% of breast cancer cases may be preventable through healthy lifestyle choices. But reducing risk is not the same as eliminating it. The American Cancer Society survey found that many women who understand the risk factors associated with breast cancer struggle to put that knowledge into practice. Miyamoto said there are often real barriers. Some communities have limited access to healthy foods. Cost can be a concern. Exercise can feel overwhelming for people juggling work and family responsibilities. Still, he encourages people not to think of healthy habits as an all-or-nothing commitment. “They say, ‘How much exercise do I have to do?’” Miyamoto said. “I say, ‘Start with one minute.’” One minute can become two, then five, then more over time, he said. The same principle applies to nutrition. “Guess how many of these you’re going to get?” Miyamoto said, referring to the human body. “One. One body.” Diet Exercise Oct 15 9 best fruits to help reduce cancer risk Diet Exercise Oct 14 Is it healthy to eat tofu every day? What to know about breast cancer risks, protein content and more Fear, culture and priorities Growing up, Garibay said, she often heard relatives avoid doctors out of fear of what they might find. “There was always that stigma,” she said. The message was familiar: Why go to the doctor if they might tell you something you don’t want to hear? “My mom would always say, ‘I don’t want to go to the doctor because I don’t want them to tell me I have cancer,’” Garibay recalled. Today, her perspective is very different. “Better to know than not know,” she said. Garibay believes fear can keep some women from scheduling mammograms or discussing concerns with their doctors. She also knows how easy it can be for women to put their own health on the back burner. “We’re thinking about everybody else’s health. We’re not thinking about our health,” she said. “As women, we need to put ourselves first because the entire family relies on us.” For Garibay, those lessons became painfully real after her diagnosis. Within weeks, she was pushed into menopause because of the aggressive nature of her cancer and treatment plan. She underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by a lumpectomy. After a short recovery period, she completed about 20 radiation treatments. Altogether, her treatment lasted roughly nine months. That’s why she has little patience for the idea that a mammogram is too uncomfortable or inconvenient. “You know what’s going to be hard?” she said. “Going through chemo.” “What’s going to be hard is when you can’t work because you really can’t move or your treatment is going to be nine or 10 months.” Throughout that period, Garibay said one thought kept her moving forward. “I was first and foremost a mother,” she said. “I had an obligation to mirror to my daughters what a warrior was going to be.” Early detection can make all the difference More than a decade later, Garibay hopes her experience encourages other women not to dismiss their own risk simply because they feel healthy or have no family history of the disease. A mammogram caught her cancer before it spread. Miyamoto said that remains one of the most important messages women can take away. “There are many things in life, many diseases, that are outside of our control,” he said. “This is something we can control and overcome if we do our part.” The 5-year relative survival rate for breast cancer caught at an early, localized stage is over 99%, Miyamoto added. “This is a fight that you can win.” Garibay is living proof. More than a decade after being diagnosed on Mother’s Day, she still thinks about the lesson the experience taught her. The date that once marked the beginning of one of the hardest chapters of her life now serves as a reminder of why she fought through it. She wanted her daughters to see what a warrior looked like. Today, she shares that perspective with others as an Imerman Angels volunteer, providing one-on-one support to cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. And she wants other women to remember what she learned. “Better to know than not know.” ...read more read less