Educator Highlight: Karin Del Maestro
“I was impressed from day one with the Know Your Lemons materials. They are super clear, and make an often difficult topic as approachable, and dare I say fun, as it could be.”
Karin Del Maestro, a breast cancer thriver from the United States, has been a Know Your Lemons educator for a little over 2 years. She first discovered the Know Your Lemons Foundation through Google! It was after her breast cancer diagnosis and double mastectomy that she started asking the questions, “should I still be getting checked? And, what kind of exams or screening should I be doing now?” Even without breasts Karin still does a monthly exam and encourages everyone in the cancer community who has gone through a double mastectomy to continue doing their chest exams! This is because while doing one of her monthly chest exams after her surgery, she discovered 3 lumps that needed further testing.
Our app has recently become more inclusive of the “chest” population through the addition of Napoleon Bonaparte as a chest self exam audio guide coach. If you or a loved one has a chest, encourage them to download the app for reminders to do a monthly chest exam.
On the app, you will notice a detailed description of the 12 signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Karin Del Maestro said, “I was impressed from day 1 with the Know Your Lemons materials. They are super clear, and make an often difficult topic as approachable and dare I say fun, as it could be. The 12 signs I find with everyone that I talk to are the most enlightening.”
As a health coach and advocate for early detection, Karin does so much to help people know their normal and understand their options. She is motivated by this cause because she lost her sister-in-law to Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) that was not diagnosed at an early stage.
“As a breast cancer survivor who also carries the BRCA2 genetic mutation, thankfully diagnosed at Stage 1, I understand how crucial early detection is with this disease and how it impacts our survival rates. Early detection [is the key to] finding any kind of recurrence…with or without breasts! And that is rarely talked about! As a Health Coach, I shifted my entire coaching practice to supporting women after treatment and continuing to do self- exams and screenings.”
Karin is a wonderful advocate for those who have gone through a mastectomy and she is a great supporter of women’s health. To support her efforts and the efforts of those around the world in educating their communities on the importance of breast health, please visit our donation site.
Transcription: Hello there! My name is Karin Del Maestro, and I am a Lemonista for the Know Your Lemons Foundation. I am so proud to be able to call myself that and a Breast Health Educator. You see, I am also a breast cancer and BRCA2 thriver and after finding the Know Your Lemons Foundation after my own breast cancer diagnosis, I became really passionate about sharing the message that even after a breast cancer diagnosis, we still want to do our monthly breast exam or chest exam should I say! You see, I no longer have breasts. I had a double mastectomy. I had failed reconstruction and I still have to do a breast or chest self exam every month. Thanks to the Know Your Lemons Foundation I know exactly where to check, how to check, and what I am doing. So, it is my passion to share this with the breast cancer community at large because I think so often we think our breasts are removed and we no longer need to do it; not true! I recently discovered three lumps that I had to have biopsied because I continue to do this exam. So please continue to do your monthly exam even if you do not have breasts any more, because it is important and early detection is key.
