Baddies, we know and understand all too well the quick life changes that occur due to a breast cancer diagnosis. Our professional lives come to the forefront as we learn to navigate the workplace during and after active treatment, experience unexpected job loss or decreased wages, and transition to more fulfilling careers.
There is space for those who want children, those who want children and can’t have them, and those who unequivocally know that parenthood isn’t for them. What about those of us who are right in the middle?
Every year parents struggle to hold back tears as they drop off their children for their first day of kindergarten. The truth is, it’s harder for us parents than it is for the kids, but what about the moms who have survived breast cancer
Adjusting when it feels like all is taken from you. From being in control to finding peace.
Amongst all the good times, the #baddies also came to handle business. We spent a full day learning and strategizing so that we can all contribute to expanding the reach of For the Breast of Us. It was a great time bouncing ideas off one another, learning of each other’s strengths and areas of interest, and committing to work together to ensure that other women get to experience For the Breast of Us. We entered as strangers, but we left as sisters.
After just one day with these women, it felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I was stripped of the armor I seemed to wear daily. The armor of the strong mother and daughter, the wife who was rediscovering her sexuality, the strong black woman at work .. even the model Breast Cancer thriver. Amongst that group of amazing women, I got to shed these layers, bare my soul, and eventually bare parts of my body that others often take to represent the extent of our journeys.
My hope in sharing my story is to offer encouragement and remind others that we can get through the hardest of days.
Is it possible that I spent my entire battle with breast cancer fighting for everyone else? The words you forgot about me rang out like a gong in my head. Is it possible that I was so busy making sure everyone else was ok that I forgot about…me?
While breast cancer united us all, my needs as a Latina with a young family were not the same as a 75-year-old white woman with grown children. Our families were different, our cultures were different, and our needs as breast cancer patients were different. I wanted to fill the gap that I knew existed for others like me.
Your voice, your story, and your support can make a difference. Join For the Breast of Us in our mission to empower, support, and advocate for women of color across the globe. Together, we can create a future where every woman has the resources and support she needs to overcome breast cancer.
On the Web:
www.breastofus.com
www.breastofusfoundation.org
Email:
hello@breastofus.com
Welcome to our community—where hope thrives, strength is found, and sisters in the fight become family.
