My name is Anna and I am a 9-year breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with Stage I estrogen/progesterone and Her2 positive breast cancer when I was 36-years old. I found a breast lump in the shower and thought it was probably nothing since there wasn’t a cancer history in my family. After the biopsy confirmed my cancer diagnosis, my doctor ordered a breast MRI. The MRI showed there was another tumor on the same breast which was also diagnosed as cancer.
I had a one-sided mastectomy, six treatments of chemotherapy, and due to healing complications needed to have skin flap surgery called DIEP where they take tissue, fat, and abdominal blood vessels to reconstruct my breasts. Because I needed to have this 14-hour surgery, I decided to have a prophylactic mastectomy. Although the length of my surgery scared me, I didn’t want to go through taking the chance of getting breast cancer on my other breast. Seven surgeries later, which included a total hysterectomy, here I am today. 45-years-old and in remission.
Because my breast cancer was fed by estrogen, the goal was to get rid of as much estrogen as possible to prevent a recurrence. Because of the lack of estrogen and the effects from chemo, my libido became non-existent. Intercourse became too painful and eventually I developed a condition called vaginismus where the muscles in the vagina involuntary spasm making internal penetration impossible.
I was married for 20-years and I became single a couple of years ago. I wondered how I would be able to enter the dating world and find someone who would understand my sexual limitations. I thought about men who have Erectile Dysfunction…how do they use these traditional dating apps? When do they tell the person they are dating that they can’t have intercourse or just prefer not to because it’s too painful? I started to learn a lot of these individuals were tired of being rejected and/or embarrassed with their sexual limitations. Many chose to stay single even though they still desired other forms of intimacy.
Here’s the best part of my story…..I created a dating app that takes sexual expectations out of dating. EntwineDating.com is for individuals who want to enter the dating world without the fear of being rejected or embarrassed when they have to disclose that they can’t have intercourse. Cancer may have taken away my breasts and uterus, but it wasn’t going to take away the opportunity to find someone who will like/love me for the way I am. Everyone deserves to be loved regardless of their sexual limitations.