Renée // Breast Cancer & Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Age: 41years old
From: Pleasanton, CA
What treatments did you undergo during your journey? Chemotherapy, Surgery, Radiation, and Immuno Therapy
What were your signs/symptoms leading up to your diagnosis? Bruising, fatigue, inverted nipple, and lump.
How did cancer alter your lifestyle? Impacted all aspects of my life emotionally, physically, mentally, socially, and challenged my spirituality. Pushed me to protect my peace, savor my friendships, enjoy every moment of time, and seek adventure. Encouraged me to be as resourceful as possible and understand that asking for help is not a crutch but stepping stone to obtaining one more star necessary to navigate my North Sea so I can keep my eyes on the horizon and continue floating and not sinking.
What kept/keeps you going? My daughter is my main goal on my vision board. Everything else surrounds her and if I maintain focus on the daily achievable goals and the long term goals then the rest I cancerVIVE.
What makes your story unique or helpful to others? My first diagnosis of AML leukemia at 18 years young I was told that if I survived I would be infertile and have a 50% chance of secondary cancer if I made it through the week. My daughter was born without the aide of fertility saving measures eleven years later. I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma at 35 years young and I’m still thriving. As difficult as life has been if this awful seed had not been buried in my life everything else after it would not and could not have bloomed. From my daughter’s miraculous birth to the incredible adventures we have shared that I have one hundred percent charged to my cancer card, to the incredible people I have met. Colors are more vibrant, life itself is so rich and appreciated all because this seed called cancer was planted in my life. I was forced to nurture it. Forced to garden it. Forced to be a veteran in a field I didn’t want to tend and then I turned around and started mending and barerooting. I figured if I’m a part of this garden then I’ll be that ericaceous fertilizer that allows these seeds to thrive. I joined all the clubs, went to the retreats, did the walks, went surfing, hiked 52 miles in 2 days, did a MudGirl 5k, shared my story as much as possible, and now I’m training to be a certified Mastectomy and Lymphedema Fitter working with the amazing Fitter who birdied me along these last few years.
Any advice for those coming behind you? My best advice is do everything. The hardest part is wrestling. Fighting yourself-getting out of bed; getting out of the house. However when you do you just took on the biggest step of facing the hardest part so keep going. Celebrate each win. Even if it’s brushing your teeth and draining your JP drains yourself! Or getting to your appointment on time! Create daily goals that are achievable and non changing so that you can scaffold yourself through this. Count down on your treatment calendars. Join the groups. The one that’s right for you. Get outside and enjoy nature, even if you can’t walk or workout, sitting outside in silence and enjoying nature barefoot is so grounding. My favorite place is the beach so when I was in the hospital and couldn’t do this I had ocean sounds playing in the background and ice cold water in a basin with some shells that I would put my hand in and close my eyes and visualize myself at my own private beach far far away from the double doors of Oncology Isolation.
Do you have a funny cancer story? Many!! Like that one time I was at the beach jumping around in the waves and I see a clear blob in the ocean and I panicked and thought my clear breast prosthesis had fallen out of my swimsuit! So my 8 year old daughter and I along with a couple on the beach scrambled to try to catch it before the ocean took it. I’m yelling “My prosthesis !! My prosthesis!!” The woman knew what I was talking about. Then I felt my swimsuit and realized it was in fact still there and in the pocket of my suit—that clear blob was a jellyfish. The woman’s husband was full on swimming for my prosthesis! I yell out “OMG I found it!!” Her husband yelled back “Oh Good you got your leg!!” The woman looks at me and my daughter and we crack up laughing!
When I was still getting used to wearing a prosthesis and my daughter was sleeping in my bed every night I would slip it out and tuck it under my pillow. My daughter would sleep with this round squishmallow stuffed animal at night. I was in a rush that morning, grabbed my form and got ready for the day. It was the evening and I was getting ready to shower and thought wow I’m really starting to get used to this prosthesis. Went to undress and couldn’t believe that I had mistakenly grabbed my daughters squishmallow stuffed animal instead of my left side prosthesis.
Favorite quote, scripture or song? Pick me up and help me stop crying song “Float On” but I am a walking radio so I have many. “Be Grateful” by Walter Hawkins, “You’ve Got the Love” & “Dog Days are Over” by Florence and The Machine- are top.
Product or service that changed your life? Thrive Causemetics is just all things amazing. I love everything from their line. There is a local nonprofit that delivered food while I was going through Chemotherapy and Radiation that was just the sweetest gift of kindness called Culinary Angels that took the worry away and cooked compassion and healing. Lastly I found this magic wand that connects to a one of my lamps that’s hard to reach so with the swish of my wand the lights are off which was ever so helpful as I recovered from surgeries and was unable to reach the switch.
How did you hear about Brighter? How has it made a difference? From TikTok and Instagram. I honestly wish I found you all when I was 18 and dealing with cancer as a teen-feeling alone and the oldest in Pediatric Oncology in 2002 and longing for anyone to connect with who just might possibly understand, have resources or be another star to navigate with.