When Patricia Lopez was diagnosed with PR+ ER+ HER2- Stage II breast cancer in September 2015, her mind was all-consumed by the diagnosis. Every ache, every pain and every change in her body became a reminder of the diagnosis. Knowing little about the disease at the time, she felt afraid and desperate for information and resources. Friends and family cried with Patricia and found a thousand ways to help; prayers, cards, visits and even financial help came in from all around her. Every day someone would tell her not to give up and to keep fighting. This encouragement kept Patricia’s hope intact and enabled her to persevere through some of the more painful days. Although Patricia’s cancer has progressed to Stage IV in March of 2016, she is still hopeful and has found inner peace through increased knowledge. In 2015, Patricia could not speak about her diagnosis without sobbing. Now, she shares her story with others at support groups and is even writing a book. Her advice to others who are newly diagnosed is to get involved in a support group, even if they are not ready to share. “All of the advice and motivation that I received came from other survivors and every question and concern that I had was answered by someone who had already been through it. Connecting with others has made the journey a lot easier,” Patricia said.

It was the start of a new year. For most, this meant New Year’s resolutions and new beginnings, but for Maria Diamond, a cloud hovered over her. She had just been diagnosed with Stage I ductal carcinoma. “I couldn’t believe they were talking to me,” she recalled. By March, Maria had her mastectomy and then only a few months later, began multiple rounds of chemotherapy to destroy whatever cancerous cells might be left. The rapid succession of treatments left her weak and in a seemingly endless cycle of hospital and emergency rooms visits. There were times when Maria felt that on the verge of breaking, but each obstacle was met by even more support from her loved ones. Maria’s sister traveled nearly 2,500 miles from Guatemala to be with her as she began her debilitating chemotherapy treatments. Co-workers offered to help her with her housework and gardening. These gestures of kindness helped Maria see the best in people at her lowest moment. “I was overwhelmed with all the support,” she said. It is in the moments that we least suspect or worse still, our darkest hours, where we find the true fruits of life. “[There is] a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Maria, and for Maria, that light came from the people who were willing to hold her hand as she got to the other side. “… You don’t have to go through this alone.”

The day had finally come; Miriam Maldonado was headed to the appointment that would clear her to go forward with her breast reconstruction. Having already had children, her daughters didn’t understand why she cared so much, but not having a breast had been very difficult for Miriam. She had been diagnosed with Stage III, ductal carcinoma of the left breast in 2015 and had been eagerly waiting to feel “whole” again. But during the appointment, the doctors felt a new lump, this time beneath the right armpit. The reconstruction was put on hold and new tests were ordered. It was spring 2018 and Miriam’s cancer had returned. During her first diagnosis, Miriam didn’t doubt for a minute that she would be ok. Cancer, it would be like any other illness. She just had to get through the treatments. The second diagnosis was harder to grasp and Miriam spent two months in denial and took even more time to share the heavy news with her family. When she was ready to share with her family, it never seemed to be the “right” time. There were school exams, weddings, birthdays and graduations to consider. Miriam didn’t want to put a damper on any of those special moments or distract from her loved one’s goals. Though she found that she was able to hide her pain from her family, coworkers and friends, she knew that she needed to share her diagnosis. When she finally shared, she found that those who faced illnesses prior to hers knew exactly what to do and friends and family were eager to help. Miriam has started a new treatment and has managed to stay hopeful while recommending to others receiving similar news that they need to, “Let go of pride and be humble. Love those around you and let them help you.”

Amanda Trejo felt strangely calm when she received her Stage III, ductal carcinoma in situ in May 2009. She thought it would be like any other illness. Despite her inner sense of calm, she found it too difficult to share with her entire family. To help with the tough task of sharing the news with her family, Amanda informed her sister of her illness and asked her to break the news to the rest of the family. It was important to Amanda that her family not lose hope that she would be OK, so she did everything in her power to keep her discomfort hidden. The strength she exuded was contagious and her family boldly stepped up to help her through her treatment. Her mom moved in with her to help her with the house and her children and friends sent love and support in the form of flowers, cards and prayers. It was the little things that made Amanda feel loved. Through her diagnosis and treatment, Amanda found that the bond with her family became even stronger. “I always had peace within my immediate family, but after I was diagnosed, I became even closer to extended family. We now spend more time together.”

Carmen Pastoriza was no stranger to breast cancer. Her grandmother, two aunts and cousin had all navigated the journey long before she received her diagnosis on June 15, 2015. Regardless of familiarity, the news was crushing. With her family all living on the east coast, she chose to share the news first with a close friend who had gone through diagnosis and treatment only a year before. For Carmen, the most difficult part of her cancer treatment was the hormonal changes that followed. She was fast-tracked into an intense menopause due to the chemotherapy which significantly impacted her emotions. But Carmen actively pursued positive thoughts and focused on spending her time with positive people. Three years from her diagnosis, she is in remission and feeling better and stronger in many different ways. “I have always had faith, but my journey through cancer has made my faith even stronger,” said Carmen.

The end of 2016 was anything but easy for Madeline Pruett. First, came the cancer diagnosis; second, the surgery; third, months of chemotherapy. By the following May, Madeline was tired and grew increasingly weak - physically and emotionally. For months, Madeline had pushed forward despite the wear and tear that the treatments had caused. Before her chemotherapy treatments began, she cut her beautiful, long, dark hair and with the help of The Pink Ribbon Place, selected a “fun” wig that was completely different from what she was used to. “Just choosing something different was a step to letting go of what was a part of my life for so long,” said Madeline. As summer approached, it was time for her radiation treatments to begin. Madeline found it harder and harder to maintain her morale. As an avid hiker, Madeline had always found solace in the outdoors. When she could no longer hike, she become increasingly concerned about her ability to stay positive. That is when Madeline sought counseling through The Pink Ribbon Place. Over the remainder of her treatments, Madeline began to see the counselor regularly. Together, they worked on her goals and Madeline found the respite she so desperately needed. “While there were low periods,” recalled Madeline, “I was able to stay determined and in a positive state of mind.”

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I didn’t share [the diagnosis] with anyone. I was in denial; I didn’t want to accept that I had cancer,” said Maria Rayo. What should have been the happiest time of the year, quickly took a turn for the worse when Maria was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer on October 22. On Christmas day, as her family gathered around the kitchen table to partake in the holiday’s festivities, Maria made her way to the sofa feeling afraid and alone. “My family was eating, and I was sitting there pretending to watch television. Instead,” she recalled, “I began to cry.” After the paralyzing shock wore off and Maria opened up to her family, she found that the love and support that she desperately needed was right there. That was the turning point for Maria. At that moment, she began to believe that everything would be OK. At the start of the new year, Maria underwent treatment and received her mastectomy followed by six rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Maria has been remission for nearly three years. Her advice to others who are undergoing treatment is to “have patience and total faith...” .

Lavetta Meyers was vacationing on the east coast in the winter of 2017 when she first noticed a pain in her hip. She had just wrapped up a grueling, breast cancer treatment and recalled her doctor’s words at the end of her treatment, “Yes, Lavetta, I got it all, you no longer have cancer in your body.” Those words marked the beginning of 18 months of cancer-free bliss. Though the possibility of reoccurrence was always in the very back of her mind, she was so happy to be finished with treatment, she did not dwell on it. She hoped the pain in her hip was caused by the extreme temperatures that she had been traveling through, but knew it was better to be cautious. When she returned from her vacation in December, she sought answers from her care provider. Testing began in January of 2018 but her results were not delivered until the end of February. The wait was torturous and the diagnosis even worse. Lavetta’s breast cancer had metastasized to her right femur, pelvic, spine and into the middle of her chest bone. “Everything that I had gone through: the chemo, the surgery, the radiation. I would have to go through it again. [And ] It was something that could be treated, but not cured,” Lavetta said. The news was not just devastating to Lavetta, but also to her two daughters. “When you hear of Stage IV cancer, the majority of people think it’s an immediate death sentence. That’s what I thought when I was first diagnosed and that’s what my daughters thought too,” said Lavetta. It has been six months since Lavetta was re-diagnosed and it took her three months to come to grips with the new diagnosis, the new treatment and the reality of the situation. Lavetta spent much of those three months delving into what it meant to have metastatic cancer. In that time, she discovered that metastatic cancer was not necessarily a death sentence, that the survival statistics meant nothing to her, specifically and that there were others out there who had been living with metastatic cancers for decades. “You have to believe that you can still live your life, a good quality life. Every day we get up, go outside and walk around or drive around. We don’t know when our lives will end, it could be a car accident or some other freak accident. Even though the cancer is in my body, it doesn’t mean I’m going to die from it and that’s what I believe. I believe that I can live a long time with this,” said Lavetta. Lavetta’s determination, passion for survival and will-power inspire those she meets. She shares her story and perspective with others who have similar diagnoses and has found some amazing women through her journey. Together, they fight to defy the statistics and transform what the world understands about metastatic cancers.

Maria Fernandez led a busy life. She had two jobs, was a mother to a 14-year-old daughter, a wife to a loving husband and a student. She worked six days a week, which only allowed her one day a week for herself and her family. So when Maria received her breast cancer diagnosis, the world as she knew it, came to a halt. As a natural born provider and extrovert, Maria was not afraid of the battle that she had ahead of her. However, she was afraid of how her daughter - a fierce introvert who loved animals, but not comfortable with people - would react to the news. “I didn’t want her to carry that burden,” recalled Maria. “So I just kept it between my husband and I.” When Maria and her husband could no longer shelter her from the reality of her diagnosis, Maria found herself surprised by her daughter’s reaction. Her daughter became her main support. “She was that friend that I needed, and she was with me at all of my doctors’ appointments and treatments, and she would just lay next to me,” recalled Maria. “I think that was just enough. Just her being there with me.” In her daughter, she found the strength and love that she didn’t know she needed to keep fighting. Together, they both learned that “we are stronger than we think.”

One month before her 44th birthday, Katherine Contreras was diagnosed with Stage IIIB breast cancer. Having watched her mother and grandmother emerge victoriously from their breast cancer treatments, she forged ahead with little distress. After a unilateral mastectomy, lymph node dissection, TRAM Flap reconstruction, six months of chemotherapy, 30 days of radiation and a prescription for Tamoxifen, she looked at cancer in the rear-view mirror and bid it goodbye, saying hello to a new perspective on life.   But Katherine’s cancer journey was far from over. In just a year and a half from her initial diagnosis, she received news that sent her reeling into a deep depression; her cancer had metastasized, spreading from her breast to her rib cage. At that moment, Katherine lost herself in a seemingly never ending loop of unbearable thoughts; thoughts of hopelessness, thoughts of her family without her and thoughts of her life being cut short.   She began treatment and also, slowly at first, she began to emerge from the darkness. When Katherine returned to work, she found the busy days helped keep her mind off of her cancer. But in her alone time the cancer still crept into her thoughts, causing sadness, anxiety, worry, anger, and depression. Her attention became consumed by the cancer ravaging her body.  “I was at war with this cancer. Not an ideal place to be. I wasn’t really living my life, rather just waiting to die,” she recalled.   At that realization, she set her mind to removing herself from the battle zone of fighting cancer and reemerging in a place of acceptance and an (almost) harmonious relationship with the cancer. It was the hardest work she had ever done.   Today, Katherine is 13 ½ years out from her Metastatic Cancer diagnosis, on treatment number 12. She has put two years of chemo, 90 radiation treatments, a six-week hospital stay and six months of dialysis behind her and she is at peace.   “Through my thirteen plus years with metastatic breast cancer, I have learned and grown so much. I now see so clearly what is important and what is not. I have never felt more empowered to be in control of my life, my time and my energy. With metastatic breast cancer you can flourish or you can give in and wait to die. I have decided to flourish. I have decided to live and enjoy an amazing life.”