1/7
Venance Pfammatter has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.
Remo BernetEditor People
After the “Reality Shore” shoot, there was a shock diagnosis: the Valais model Venance Pfammatter (28) was diagnosed with a preliminary stage of breast cancer. Even if she is currently busy deciding how to proceed with the treatment, she tries not to let it show during the interview. Except for a moment, the “Switzerland’s Next Topmodel” second always has a smile on her face – even when she talks about sad things.
How did the diagnosis come about?
venance Pfammatter: I told my gynecologist during the check-up that I had chest pains, but she said at the time that it was completely normal. When I ended up in the hospital emergency room with a sprained leg, I asked the doctors for a second opinion. They then took a tissue sample. And after ten days they said: Ms. Pfammatter, you have a preliminary stage of breast cancer. I didn’t understand that at first – I was fine.
What happened after that?
Since then I have been in the hospital very often. In September I had an operation in which my entire breast and nipples were amputated and implants were placed. Everything looked fine and the wounds have healed. But during an inspection, offshoots were found. It’s really not easy to digest. Now the question arises: Do I want to do anti-hormone therapy or not? This would last between seven and ten years and could result in me no longer being pregnant. It’s a huge decision for me: I would have loved to have had a second baby.
signs of breast cancer
Breast cancer often goes undetected for a long time because the patients are not in pain. However, these complaints indicate that one should consult a doctor:
- Lump or hardening in the breast
- Changes in the skin of the breast – this can be inflammation, redness or cellulite
- Dimples or bulges in the skin of the breast
- Inflamed nipple
- Breast suddenly grows
- Fluid runs from the chest
- Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit and below and above the collarbone
- unwanted weight loss
Breast cancer often goes undetected for a long time because the patients are not in pain. However, these complaints indicate that one should consult a doctor:
- Lump or hardening in the breast
- Changes in the skin of the breast – this can be inflammation, redness or cellulite
- Dimples or bulges in the skin of the breast
- Inflamed nipple
- Breast suddenly grows
- Fluid runs from the chest
- Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit and below and above the collarbone
- unwanted weight loss
Who is supporting you now?
My son and my family give me a lot of support. The person I thought would stand by my side doesn’t. I can’t even blame him because it’s difficult for me to deal with the whole thing, too. However, I am a person who finds it difficult to talk about my own problems and feelings.
But not talking to anyone about your own problems can also get pretty tough in a situation like this.
I’ve been struggling with depression for the past few weeks. So I decided to seek help from a psychologist. Already after the first appointments I noticed: I should have done it as soon as I got the diagnosis. So much has accumulated. It was always difficult for me to talk about it with my friends because I saw how much they sympathized with me.
How are you doing at the moment?
I’m torn. I’m just rediscovering my body. I live from dancing and modeling, so the body is an important resource. But the illness has damaged it and I have to build it up again first. This will need time. That’s why everything feels like shit right now. I’m actually a very positive person and this attitude helps me to stay here at all.
You have decided to have a so-called mastectomy, i.e. the removal of the entire breast. Why?
I had to take this radical step. The doctors recommended it to me so the cancer couldn’t spread any further. This also enabled me to avoid chemotherapy. After six weeks I was no longer restricted, otherwise it would have been completely different.
You are the mother of a nine-year-old son. How is he handling the situation?
It took me a long time to even tell him. Only when I had the feeling that I could no longer pretend emotionally did I talk to him about it. His reaction was heartwarming, but also heartbreaking. He asked me, “But you’re not dying, are you?” He then gave me a really, really tight hug. Now he keeps asking if everything is okay again. (She fights back tears and has to take short breaks from speaking, editor’s note.)
Have you thought about death?
I thought to myself: shit, I’m 28 years old and have a nine-year-old son. If the cancer continues to spread, I don’t know how much longer I can be in this world. In this phase I questioned a lot. But I also learned that I want to fill my life with positive memories. Yes, I often had thoughts of death. I asked myself what would happen to my son then and what I’ve actually achieved in life.
What helped you not to get lost in such thoughts?
Dancing, making music and spending time with my son brings me down and is good for me. This year I found a lot of support in music. I write a lot of lyrics and am happy to release my first single on January 11th.
Because of your diagnosis, you also moved back from Solothurn to your home country, Valais.
I felt like I needed to be closer to my son. I felt that he wanted his mommy closer to him to know that I was okay. It was always very exhausting for me to commute from Olten to Valais to see him.