Bree Amer's New Career
- Bree Amer, 38, survived thyroid cancer in 2006 and is now excitedly sharing news of her new career with the world.
- Common early signs of thyroid cancer may include a hoarse voice, lump or pain in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.
- It’s important to pay attention to your body and advocate fully for your health if anything seems off.
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Understanding Thyroid Cancer
Amer’s cancerous lump was thankfully caught by a doctor who watched her Big Brother reality show and desperately tried to contact her, via the competition phone line to let her know. Amer told The Daily Mail, "When I turned my head on the ['Friday Night Live'] panel, a lump protruded out of my neck I had an inch and a half tumor that I never noticed.”
Related: Eagle-Eyed Viewer Spots Thyroid Cancer In TV Reporter: See The Lump That Raised A Red Flag
Through a chance encounter, that same doctor ending up seeing one of the other Big Brother contestants and asked them to relay the message to Amer. She was then diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2006, and had two surgeries, as well as radioactive iodine treatment to treat her cancer.
Related: 7 Common Signs of Thyroid Cancer & How to Spot Them
Thyroid cancer has a high incidence (nearly two-thirds of cases) of being diagnosed in younger patients, aged 20 to 55. And women are more likely to get this disease than men, with 3 in 4 cases of thyroid cancer being diagnosed in women. This disease is treated with surgery, hormone therapy, radioactive iodine, chemotherapy, and radiation. Common early signs of thyroid cancer may include a hoarse voice, lump or pain in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.
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Advocating for Your Health
Like Amer, many people experience new growths or lumps on their body which may cause concern. If you spot a lump or an unusual mole, or anything out of the ordinary, trust your gut and schedule an appointment with your doctor, as it could be the difference between life and death.
When you visit your doctor, be sure to be your own biggest advocate, and go into the appointment with a plan, our expert told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. Dr. Zuri Murrell, a Colorectal Surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said, “The truth is you have to be in tune with your body, and you realize that you are not the statistic…That’s why it’s important for you to actually educate yourself and be your own health care advocate. And that’s something that I think is really important. You should lead each doctor’s appointment with a plan.”
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