What was your experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer?
I started having a burning pain in my right breast that felt different and lasted longer than cyclical or hormonal pain. On self-examination, I felt a lump and went to my doctor, who referred me for further testing. I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer after nearly a month of various tests, including two biopsies, the first of which came back negative for cancer. My doctor recommended a second biopsy because he wanted to be sure, based on the imaging from other tests. I was not expecting the second biopsy to come back as cancer!
How did you feel after your diagnosis?
It felt surreal, like it was happening to someone else. I was terrified, sad, even angry at times. Alongside all of those feelings, I felt determined to fight, to do whatever I needed to do to beat cancer, to show up in a courageous way, and to still be me – not just another cancer patient.
What was treatment like for you?
I had 6 rounds of chemotherapy with ongoing anti-Her2 therapy shots every three weeks for a year, lumpectomy to remove the cancer, and radiation therapy. I am a very positive person and initially thought I could get through chemotherapy on positivity alone. I soon realized that the effects of the chemotherapy on my body meant I needed more than that – the support of my husband and loved ones as well as the BCF helped me get through it. Losing my hair and some of my independence when I was too sick to do much for myself was harder than I thought it would be. Knowing I was not alone through it all was so important in helping me keep my spirits up, stay brave and strong, and remember that it was temporary and I would make it through to the other side of what felt like a dark tunnel at times.
What services from the BCF/resources/people helped you in your recovery?*
The BCF was an incredible help and support to me during my treatment and recovery. The wealth of information and resources that they offered helped me to feel like I had a life raft that would keep me from drowning in a sea of fear and uncertainty. I felt incredibly supported by the check-ins from time to time during my treatment, and the recommendations for helpful services. I participated in extremely helpful support groups – getting together with other women who were also going through breast cancer was comforting and uplifting to feel that strength in numbers. I also received reflexology at home when I was quite sick from chemotherapy side effects, and when I was feeling better, attending a lovely art therapy group. Having such a variety of services and a place to go with questions and also to celebrate good news was amazing. I also had tons of help from my wonderful husband and an amazing group of friends. One of my dearest friends cooked for my husband and me to take that burden off of us while I was in treatment. My friends also pooled their funds and paid for me to have IV treatments at Reviv, to ensure that I was hydrated and getting the nutrients I needed when it became hard for me to eat and drink.
What would you advise other survivors / patients?
I would advise other patients and survivors not to go through breast cancer alone. Sometimes we may want to hide our struggles because we don’t want to burden others, or we feel we should be strong enough to handle things alone. I would encourage those people to try to let that go and allow yourself to be vulnerable. It’s hard, I know! But the reward is amazing. BCF is such an amazing resource and they have helped me so much in my treatment and recovery. If you are going through this, you’re not alone, it does get better, and sometimes taking care of yourself means reaching out. Reaching out is a sign of strength and there are many people who will grasp your hand and help to hold you up when you need it. You are strong, brave, beautiful, and resilient!