If cancer has taught me anything, it is that life is too damn short to cower to my fears.
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and then found out I had a gene that made me susceptible to breast cancer as well. I could wait and see or I could prevent a worst-case scenario.
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.
I didn’t grow up with any family traditions, so it’s been important for me to start them with my children. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!
I had become the patient; he became the caregiver. He saw me differently. Fragile. In pain. Suffering. All I wanted was to be loved in every way — to be a wife, a lover, a sexual being.
Living your life with your outward appearance so entrenched in your personal identity can make for extreme emotional issues when cancer takes your hair from you.
My first breast surgeon gave me the news that I had cancer and the choice to keep my “healthy” breast. They didn’t explain my condition or their plan of action the way that I expected. In fact, the eight minutes I sat with them was not enough time to explain very much at all about anything.
I felt invigorated. I felt inspired. I felt SEEN. I had never been in a situation where I was surrounded by so many kick ass women. They had all been through what I was going through, and that was powerful for me.
I’ve learned during this process, everyday I gain and meet some amazing friends. And although we may leave each other for whatever reason, I wouldn’t change a thing!
As a woman of color, I know that it’s a table that our communities have been traditionally omitted from. But with the overall goal to advance our understanding of cancer across the board, it is imperative that everyone is both included in the conversation, and also empowered to own a piece of this process.
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.
