Ann Jillian, actress, singer and breast cancer survivor, told nearly 400 people yesterday losing both of her breasts was a fair trade-off for her life.

Jillian gave a speech entitled “Surviving and Thriving” at C.Y. Stephens Auditorium.

Jillian had a mastectomy (removal of both breasts) in 1985. “I never though I would be about to go through a frightening journey.”

At the age of 35, Jillian discovered a lump, the size of a pea in one of her breasts. A surgeon told her she should get a biopsy, but she wanted a second opinion.

The second doctor told her to wait and watch it, which was something she wanted to hear at the time. Later on, Jillian was doing exercises when she said her breast felt like a bad foam pillow. She then went to have a biopsy, and her husband came along.

“The doctor said ‘this is a cancerous situation,'” she said. “This wasn’t something we both wanted to hear.”

Jillian said she felt shock, disbelief and anger towards the cancer. “It hung heavy on my soul.”

Jillian said there was no alternative to the mastectomy. It wasn’t a situation where she could just have the tumor removed.

“Today I stand here and I’m really happy I did it,” she said. “It is up to us to do the very best we can do, medically. Leave the rest up to God.”

She said she prayed to God the night before the surgery and said to him, “Please God, don’t let me die.” She then realized it was God’s will and she would accept it, but she would fight so hard for the gift of life God had given her.

Jillian said she received 60,000 letters in the first week of her ordeal. She told the crowd they don’t need to feel alone when they’re going through this because if they lived in front of the cameras, they would get letters too.

Jillian’s mom had breast cancer 40 years ago. “She was living her reward,” she said. “We go through an awful lot to get to the other side, to get to normalcy and she did it.”

Once you’ve gone through the surgery, Jillian said, you will never forget it. “It will always be on your mind. Every single day it gets a little easier.

“Get back to life,” she said. “If God gives you a second chance at it, live it. None of us have guarantees.”

Jillian made a personal decision not to get reconstructive surgery on her breasts.

“I just chose not too,” she said. “I felt I had asked my body to go through an awful lot. I just wanted to get well.”

Jillian said who we are has nothing to do with our breasts or other body parts. “It’s our heart and soul and how we are with one another. That’s all that matters,” she said.

Jillian said self-breast examinations should become routine in a young woman’s life so it’s not a big surprise later on.

Most doctors recommend that women get their mammograms at the age of 40. Jillian said if she would have waited that long, she wouldn’t be here right now.

Four and a half years ago, Jillian had her first child, Andy Joe. She said her mastectomy had no bearing on having a child.

Jillian answered many questions from audience members, many of whom have battled breast cancer.

One audience member said to Jillian, “You have such a clean perspective on life.” Jillian responded with a hug.

Jillian closed her speech by singing “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

“I think it’s appropriate to dedicate it from me to all of you, who are the unsung heroes.”