While breast cancer united us all, my needs as a Latina with a young family were not the same as a 75-year-old white woman with grown children. Our families were different, our cultures were different, and our needs as breast cancer patients were different. I wanted to fill the gap that I knew existed for others like me.
And after three years in therapy and three “one-more chances,” the foundation of my marriage crumbled. But even so, God gave me beauty for ashes.
I had become the patient; he became the caregiver. He saw me differently. Fragile. In pain. Suffering. All I wanted was to be loved in every way — to be a wife, a lover, a sexual being.
Living your life with your outward appearance so entrenched in your personal identity can make for extreme emotional issues when cancer takes your hair from you.
I share my story because I want others going through to feel seen. There is so much power in sharing your story; it not only helps you heal, but it empowers others to do the same.
Breast Cancer survivor, Marquita Goodluck shares how diagnosis and treatment changed her approach to life.
In working with women of color it can be very difficult to find resources that cater to our unique needs. For a lot of us, the mindset is if you are struggling with something, we are taught to rely on our faith. But that can be extremely difficult when you are faced with the unthinkable.
When you have a soulmate, you can look beyond all of that and see the beauty and the creation that God designed just for the two of you.
I told myself I didn’t need a man to make me happy and that was true, but the life partner assigned to me wouldn’t walk away when I felt unworthy, struggled with self esteem and body image or when all the woes of survival came to disturb my peace.
My cancer made it very clear to me that tomorrow wasn’t promised. So, I needed to make the most of my time. I wanted nothing more than to recover what we were rebuilding and move forward.
Unfortunately, his cancer didn’t make him feel the same.
Your voice, your story, and your support can make a difference. Join For the Breast of Us in our mission to empower, support, and advocate for women of color across the globe. Together, we can create a future where every woman has the resources and support she needs to overcome breast cancer.
On the Web:
www.breastofus.com
www.breastofusfoundation.org
Email:
hello@breastofus.com
Welcome to our community—where hope thrives, strength is found, and sisters in the fight become family.
