Michelle Hjardemaal

Diagnosis Age: 27

Number of years after diagnosis: 5

Five years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I can still remember the day the diagnosis was delivered. My mind became a blank. All the nagging fears that have been pushed to the back of my consciousness landed in a huge lump in my throat. My mind raced with dark thoughts of death, at the possibilities of dreaded treatments and a limited future. The diagnosis of breast cancer was the lowest point in my life.

I knew that death was inevitable. I spent time thinking about my impending funeral. Then, one day, it occurred to me that I wasnêt dead yetÄ I needed to take control of my life. I decided that I was not going to give in to cancer. I was going to fight it and fight it to the ground.

I became very interested in learning about cancer. Education on breast cancer became my main focus. I wanted to know exactly what is cancer? Who gets cancer? Who is at risk for breast cancer? And why did I get cancer?

I collected a list of questions for my doctors, the nurse and other members of my health team. My knowledge about the cancerês stage and type, the kind of treatments used for breast cancer kept increasing. Before starting treatments, I wanted a second opinion about the diagnosis and the treatment plan. I wanted to know about my treatment choices, the expected benefits of each treatment and clinical trial.

Finding a lump in your breast or being told you have a suspicious mammogram, can be a jolting and shocking emotional experience. Trying to learn about breast cancer, treatments and side effects at the same time can be very frustrating.

At the age of 27, my doctor told me that I was at risk for breast cancer. It never occurred to me that I needed to educate myself on the matter. Cancer was not in my mind although I had lost my mother to cancer when she was 43 years old.

It didnêt take me long to realize that cancer is a major illness and can be fatal. Without a doubt, cancer became an inescapable fact for meÄ At times, I felt depressed. It was an ongoing struggle: One day would bring a feeling of confidence, the next day despair. This is an especially awful loneliness for any human to endure. But I remained focus. I needed to get involve in my treatment plan and my survival depended on it. I had to learn and learn quickly. The known is usually easier to cope with than the unknown.

The breast cancer surgery was disfiguring and the treatments were very aggressive. They extended over four (4) months along with their side effects such as nausea, hair loss, fatigue, cramps, skin burns, and weight changes. Muscle strength deserted me and I felt overwhelmed by this new world of uncertainties. I engaged in a frank conversation with my doctors about the best way to manage this situation and he referred me to a social worker specialized in counseling people with cancer: She also was a cancer survivor. I was able to explore my feelings in the individual therapy. Then, I joined a group therapy. Only then, was I able to channel my feelings constructively. Later on, I joined the American Cancer Society (ACS).

As an ACS reach to recovery volunteer and triple touch instructor, I came in contact with a lot of Haitian women faced with the same diagnosis of cancer but also dealing with other more serious issues such as language barriers, legal status, etcÄ Thatês when I realized that there were no resources available for Haitian women.

We all know that the incidence of breast cancer increases the closer one gets to Miami. Floridians are more likely to develop breast cancer than the average Americans. One in seven residents has breast cancer compared to one in eight nationally. According to the Public Health Service, thousands of minorities are lost to cancer each year because they do not seek early treatment. According to the ACS, the rate of breast cancer in black women is on the rise, and this is due to biology and culture. We know little about Haitians in Miami because they are often grouped with African-Americans for statistical purposes. While it is reasonable to say that Haitians share high mortality rate of breast cancer with other blacks, however, a need assessment by FIU reveals Haitians suffer more, have little experience with the Health Care Systems, and they received the worst health care service.

Once the cancer has been diagnosed, treatment is often delayed by traditional beliefs competing with the scientific theory of the disease. The rationale being that if God has the power to put it in me, he also has the power to take it away. Reliance on potions and religious rituals often delay life-extending treatment.

Despite the chilling statistics, most women whose breast cancer is found early are alive and well. But, there are no comprehensive and culturally competent programs for Haitian women to raise awareness, teach about health, make referrals to health providers, and empower them to take control over illness.

Had we had a program well designed to educate and empower the Haitian women, Mrs. Denise Calixte, Jacquesês mother would have been alive today.

We need to provide quality comprehensive breast-health education along with counseling, referrals and support groups to our medically underserved women in the Haitian community. This convenient setting will require a coordinated team effort from the health care educators and health care providers to educate, diagnose, treat and rehabilitate our women to maximum wellness.

Itês easier to come to grips with the reality of any crisis if we replace ignorance with information. Often, the more we know, the less we have to fear. There is much to learn about breast cancer: its treatments, the possibilities for recovery and methods of rehabilitation. As a Haitian woman and a breast cancer survivor, I remember how much I wished that some cancer information were made available to me in my native language.

The Haitian American Association Against Cancer, Inc. (HAAAC) has a unique plan to combine up-to-date information on breast cancer along with counseling, referrals, home visitations, and support groups for the cancer patients and their families. Thus, this process will eliminate confusion and misconceptions by providing the essential facts about symptoms and stages, nutrition, surgical and non-surgical treatments and therapies, everything from diagnosis through recovery.

HAAAC offers support group and hope through guidance and the informed knowledge every cancer patient needs to make the right decisions throughout the treatment process.

During my five years battle with cancer, you, the community, provided me with the emotional support I needed to carry on. You helped me take a look at living, living with cancer and its treatment, but living nonetheless. You provided me with so much supportÄ I thank you and I am grateful. Now, I am asking you, each and every one of you to lend the same support to HAAAC. If we save two lives, itês worth the effort. Letês make room for healthy survivors of cancer not victims.

Thank you and God bless you!

Read other stories...