MY CANCER STORY
This year was nothing short of unexpected. In January, while hopes were high for the start of a new year, I sat in the parking lot of a breast imaging center, releasing an Instagram reel about the importance of taking care of ourselves—body, soul, and spirit—and how early detection can save lives. "Get your mammograms," I urged. Many people either neglect routine exams or avoid them out of fear, missing what could actually save them. I didn’t know how true those words would be of my own story.
When I got the call back because of a place of concern, I wasn’t frightened. I’d been through it before—same spot, three years earlier. It was just another thing to add to the schedule, but I knew it was important, even if I didn’t believe it was cancer. On Valentine’s Day, I returned expecting the all-clear, but by the end of the appointment, they told me a biopsy was needed. My natural reaction would be to worry, but over the years, I’ve learned not to waste time worrying about what I can’t control or what may never happen, as it only steals today and we aren’t promised tomorrow. Instead, I scheduled the biopsy and enjoyed sushi with my forever Valentine.
Two weeks later, in a pink robe, I awkwardly sat in the waiting room again, surrounded by other women in the same situation. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I looked up and started counting the women in the room: one, two, three, four... eight. Eight… I knew the statistics, one in every eight women get breast cancer. At least one of us was about to face an uphill battle and that was evident by the fear that permeated the room. I prayed, “Lord, I’m not scared. I trust You. Bring peace to this room.” When they called me back, they reassured me it was likely not cancer, but they had to be thorough.
Five days later, as I was sitting at a birthday lunch with a dear friend, my phone rang. “Is this a good time to talk?” the doctor asked. This was the call I’d been waiting on, so despite the timing, I said yes. She continued, “We regret to inform you that the biopsy results are back, and you do have cancer.” When is a good time to hear those words? I hung up the phone, looked at my friend, and still processing said, “Well, I have cancer…”
My friend, in her kindness, reached across the table to comfort me, but instead of tears, I felt a deep, unshakable confidence in God. In that instant, the Lord sobered my thoughts and showed me the exact path He wanted me to take toward healing. I turned to her and said, “Don’t waste your prayers on my healing. God’s already healed me—I just have to walk through some things to get there. Instead, pray for two things: a double anointing, and that the enemy pays.”
Through an incredible chain of events, which I’ll share another time, God had prepared me for this moment. He strengthened my mind, fortified my spirit for the pain ahead, and set everything in place—from my medical team to the support around me. He gave grace to my family, knowing that cancer impacts everyone who loves you. We were shocked, but not shaken; we knew that God had set us up for a win.
In three short, yet long, weeks, I went from diagnosis to surgery. Three weeks after that, I began twenty-one rounds of radiation that I completed mid-May. Last week, I received my follow-up imaging—I am happy to share with you that I am officially CANCER-FREE, all by the grace and glory of God. This was not the year we expected, but God did not disappoint as he exposed and healed what the enemy wanted to keep hidden.
That’s the short version, leaving out the painful moments, the relentless challenges, and the mental exhaustion from all the decisions that had to be made. It also skips over the miracles, divine appointments, and profound revelations along the way. This month, is important as we wear our pink and raise awareness of breast cancer and how early detection can save lives, as it did mine, but I think it’s also important to raise awareness of the goodness of God in the harshest of times. Cancer can do many things, but it can never silence courage, break faith, or invade our souls!
If you'll allow me, I want to share my full journey with you—the good, the difficult, and the miraculous. Many of us have felt the deep pain of losing someone to cancer, and that pain is still fresh for me. Recently, I said goodbye to my dear friend Jessica as she made her way to heaven after a courageous two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. She taught me so much, right up until her last breath.
Our stories are not meant for comparison but for encouragement, to remind us of the power of community, faith, and hope. Just as Jessica sent me messages of support throughout my treatment, even in the midst of her own suffering, I want to be that same source of encouragement to you. Whether you or someone you know is facing an unexpected journey, I want you to know you’re not alone—God sees you, and we can walk through this together.
