Triple Negative Voices–no 2 are alike. The difference in experience can not just be read but felt through these different testimonials.
“Not just any old run of the mill cancer but, Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
Isn’t it enough that I hear the negative stings from society by being a Black woman but now to be diagnosed with a type of cancer that predominantly affects Black and Latino women, a cancer that less research is done, a cancer that has a higher mortality rate and a cancer that is more likely to reoccur? God how many more negatives can one woman endure?”
“Here are my choices; you fight or you die. I chose to fight. I went through everything modern medicine could throw at me, chemotherapy, bilateral mastectomy and 32 rounds of radiation. Of the 8 rounds of chemo that I was scheduled to have, my broken body would only allow 4 rounds and it knew best because after surgery and radiation and recovering from those with multiple side effects along the way; several follow up tests later my oncologist who referred to me as his miracle patient proclaimed “June, none of the test results showed any sign of cancer, you are cancer free”. I cried, I cried more than I thought I would, I cried tears of joy.”
“Every year since that day is a welcomed milestone that I celebrate and cherish. Cancer chose the wrong one.”
June, ABC Ambassador
“Being Triple Negative wasn’t any worse in my opinion than another type of breast cancer. Still needed to be treated for cancer and still felt that my body had let me down. I realize how it was more me letting down my body instead and am working hard at ensuring I keep it healthy.”
“I don’t fit any of the typical patient types that present with triple negative no history, not the right age group and not the right race which only reinforces to me that cancer can hit anyone at any time and anywhere.”
“While thought to be the most aggressive type, if treated properly, the risk for recurrence drops radically in the first 3 years (less than .05% chance of recurrence) and by the gold standard 5 years, it is, for all intents and purposes, considered to be cured. Treatment was more aggressive for me than for women with different receptors so I attacked it very aggressively in order to ensure the best possible outcome. Medical team was amazing and I felt they really listened to me and what I wanted. I feel very lucky to have had the experience I did and am grateful and blessed to be able to help others by sharing my story.”
Laura, ABC Ambassador
To learn more about Triple Negative Breast Cancer: https://www.breastcancer.org/types/triple-negative