Bola's Story: What I Learned From My Breast Cancer Experience
Bola Og is a Breastcancer.org Community member in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA.
To any of my pink sisters and their families out there, please remember that you are never, ever alone. You got this and you will make it through!!!!! My advice to anyone newly diagnosed is to do the following:
Take a deep breath.
Let out your emotions (and they could range from crying, shouting, weeping, screaming) and that is very much okay and healthy to do.
Seek professional mental help from a psychologist, mental health counselor, family counselor, clergy, etc.
Don’t be in denial and start meeting with your oncology team (may include your surgical oncology, surgeon, plastic surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, dietician, social worker, breast cancer navigator) to evaluate options for your treatment plan.
The treatment plan may be very brutal and know that you can take things one step at a time and follow your oncology team’s recommendations.
What I wish people understood about breast cancer diagnosis is that at first it is extremely overwhelming and it almost feels like being hit by a neverending and relentless storm of activities and emotions. It is critical to seek professional help with spiritual, mental, social, physical and emotional health throughout this trajectory of life.
I started my breast cancer journey in 2021. Prior to that, I had dealt with histories of multiple family members with cancer – from lung cancer, melanoma, endometrial cancer to colorectal cancer. I had previously worked as an oncology nurse and nothing prepared me for the reality of facing my own breast cancer diagnosis, surgeries, radiation, and hormone treatments.
It has been intense, for sure. I am committed to spreading my testimony of the Lord's unwavering faithfulness, His healing power and His covering and staying optimistic and feisty, while continuing to raise awareness about breast cancer and building communities, particularly in disproportionately affected communities.
Some of my challenges during this journey have come with needing to come to terms with the diagnosis initially, and once treatment began, it’s been coming to terms with and embracing my new normal every single day at a time. My life changed after finding Breastcancer.org because I have found it immensely helpful to read the stories of my other pink sisters and as I noted earlier, it really does take a village. Every pink warrior’s story matters and makes a big difference.
Thank you, Breastcancer.org for allowing me to share my story.
