Interview with Sheryl Crow: A Newfound Song of Gratitude

Important Lessons Learned as a 10-Year Breast Cancer Survivor

During a career that spans four decades as a singer/songwriter, Sheryl Crow has sold more than 50 million albums around the world. She’s performed with the world’s most famous musical artists, from the Rolling Stones and Willie Nelson to Tony Bennett and Pavarotti. But what many people don’t know is that Sheryl is a breast cancer survivor. The nine-time Grammy Award winner recently talked with HealthPoint about her experience dealing with the disease and the surprising life insights it revealed.

When were you diagnosed with breast cancer?
It was February 2006. I had a mammogram scheduled that month, but believe it or not, I almost skipped the appointment. My life was very busy at that time, and it just seemed like an inconvenience. I I had become complacent, I suppose, thinking “what’s the use of another test that will show nothing is wrong.” But then I decided to go ahead. That decision may have saved my life. The mammogram showed a suspicious area. At first I was told that it was probably nothing, just some calcification perhaps, and to come back in six months for a follow-up.

Is that the action you decided to take?
Fortunately, no. My Ob/Gyn told me that waiting six months was ridiculous and to have a biopsy performed immediately. That’s when I learned I had breast cancer. There’s no way of knowing exactly how far the cancer might have developed if I had waited those six months, but I’m so grateful for the advice my Ob/Gyn gave me.

What treatment did you receive?
I had a lumpectomy and then seven weeks of radiation therapy. Today I’ve been cancer-free for almost 10 years though I still have a mammogram every six months.

What lessons have you learned from this experience?
Many. I have a new sense of gratitude—for the love and care my family gave me during my treatment and for just being alive today.
I’m also thankful for the many advances that have been made in detecting and treating breast cancer. For example, 30 years ago, my cancer would have meant a mastectomy, a complete removal of the breast.

I also learned a very important insight about myself. Before breast cancer, my self-appointed position was to take care of other people first. Letting other people take care of me was difficult if not impossible. I didn’t know how to say “No” when somebody asked for help. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had to change those life patterns and learn how to take care of myself. That’s the great lesson that this experience taught me. I became strong enough to allow myself to be vulnerable, to ask for help.

What advice do you have for people who have breast cancer?
When you’re in the middle of a stressful situation like being treated for breast cancer, there is always a great deal of uncertainty. So it’s very helpful to do things that make your life feel as normal as possible. Just simple things. In my case, continuing to ride my horse really helped me. You need to let people help you with everyday chores, like doing the laundry, but you also need to make sure people respect your privacy. My family knew exactly how to do that. They were so wonderful. They were always there to support me, but they always knew when to give me some space.

Sheryl do you have any final thoughts?
I believe education and awareness are critical. So I’m serving as the spokesperson for a new breast cancer educational campaign with a company that has developed a 3D mammography system. This technology can detect up to 41 percent more invasive cancers than a conventional mammogram. For many women, that can mean earlier detection, which was so critical in my case. When detected early, the breast cancer survival rate is close to 100 percent. That’s the reason I strongly encourage women to never miss their annual mammogram exam. There really is no excuse.

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