10/04/2024
🎀BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH🎀
As a 5 year survivor, everyday is breast cancer awareness. Perhaps during the month of October I do tend to reflect more on my journey and yesterday was one of those days that hit me harder than others.
I connected with a young girl a few months ago, who at 24 years old was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (same as mine),she was about to start her journey and we spoke at length as she had many questions I helped answer. She was terrified and felt very alone and I related to the feeling all too well.
Yesterday she reached out because she was done with chemo and had more questions about my surgery and her options and was again scared. We spoke for almost an hour - about chemo, radiation, side effects, sickness, losing our hair, body image, mental state, surgery, healing…Her questions brought up so many emotions and thoughts I hadn’t thought about in a long time. She asked if I had any regrets about any of my decisions and I can say with certainty that I have no regrets because I’m here and I’m alive and I’m thriving and I only pray that she will say the same one day.
I tell this story because raising awareness is more than mammograms and pink bows and t shirts that say “Save The Tatas”, it’s also about telling stories and advocating for yourself and as a survivor, for me, it’s about being that inspiration to the ones that need it and being that person who will listen and can relate. I had that person when I needed it. We all need that.
I hope, if you’re still reading this, that you will take care of yourself and get the screenings, do self exams (that’s how I found my lump), remind your loved ones to do the same and just know I am here for anyone that needs a friend to help see the light at the end of a dark tunnel ❤️
With love and light,
Mia
