This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Irene Boeddinghaus who specialises in breast disease and serves the private sector at the Vincent Pallotti Hospital.

October is breast cancer awareness month and today’s conversation focusses on breast cancer, which is one of the top five cancers affecting women. Statistically, one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life. However, put another way, this statistic also says that seven out of eight women will not be diagnosed with breast cancer. Dr Boeddinghaus acknowledges there are risk factors that influence cancer, but oftentimes women don’t correctly understand their risk profile and we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about individualised risk and in some situations through lifestyle behaviour can prevent certain types of cancers. Breast cancer is not a one size fits all, there are different kinds of breast cancers, stages and consequently treatments.  Early detection of breast cancer is important and can lead to cure and remission.  Dr Boeddinghaus works with a multidisciplinary team that creates individualised treatment plans for patients that consider the nature of the cancer, its size, its stage as well as the patient’s circumstances. For example, besides treating the tumour for a patient in her twenties the team also assess her fertility options should she decide to have a family post treatment. Treating cancer is a life-long journey for patients that Dr Boeddinghaus and her team walks with them. This job intertwines intellectual practice and human interaction to create optimal outcomes.

Although Dr Boeddinghaus has an incredibly busy practice, she acknowledges the importance of self-care and not being completely absorbed in work. She comes from a Karoo farming family and some of her outlets include knitting, crocheting with a conscious of using sustainable yarn.

Dr Boeddinghaus’s original plans were to pursue a research track in the UK, and she completed her research doctorate in aspects of treatment of and resistance to some of the hormonal agents in breast cancer. However, her plans changed as she considered the environment that she wished to raise her children in and elected to move back to South Africa. Her story highlights how the choices that women make take consideration of their family’s needs as well as redirecting ambition into other avenues and making things work for you. She notes that you cannot change the circumstances of your life, but you have power over is how you react to those circumstances. She closes the conversation reminding us that we should make something positive about whatever life throws at us and enjoy the ride, it’s not about the destination it’s about the journey.