Five years ago, 43 year old Sonya Samuels did not think she would be a breast cancer survivor, but then again, she did not think she would have cancer either.
Samuels was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2004. She said it was discovered during a routine mammogram.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. The chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman’s life is a little less than 1 in 8 (12 percent).
Age is a woman’s single most important risk factor for developing breast cancer. African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage, when the cancer is less treatable, leading to breast cancer death rates being 38 percent higher for black women.
“When the test came back and it was revealed that I had breast cancer, I couldn’t believe it,” said Samuels. Immediately, she said questions started filling her head. “I thought to myself, why me? Is this correct? Maybe I need to get a second opinion.
The first person I called was my mom. We just sat on the phone and prayed and she told me that everything would be ok,” said Samuels. “But it was hard to think it would be ok because my aunt had just lost her battle with breast cancer in ’99.”
Her aunt, Johnnie Faye Coleman lost her battle after her cancer went into remission.
“Her battle had been up and down. She’d have some good months, and then she’d have some not so good months,” said Samuels. “But I can say that she was surrounded by all of her loved ones every step of the way.”
Thankfully for Samuels, her cancer was detected early and she was able to have a mastectomy in January of 2005, two months after it was discovered.
Samuels said her family has been a great support system for her throughout her bout with breast cancer.
“It’s one thing to have to go through something as serious and scary as breast cancer,” said Samuels. “But when you’re surrounded by love and support…it makes everything so much easier and that’s the blessing that I call my family.”
Samuels’ family support doesn’t just stop with her emotionally, but they also help in her awareness campaigns. Samuels participates annually with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life walk and this year her family pitched in to form a team.
The support was well worth it as the family won first place in the T-Shirt design contest. A shirt that honored their two angels, Coleman and Racine Christmas, another family member who also lost her fight to cancer and their survivor, Samuels.
Samuels, a divorced single mother of two didn’t let the scare of breast cancer dampen her spirits. She is actively involved in ministry at her church home, Second Temple Church of Christ Holiness U.S.A. in Jackson and also participates in awareness events around the city year round.
“I just did my best not to let it defeat me,” said Samuels. “I have a strong relationship with God and my faith in Him helped me realize that I could fight this.”
And fight is exactly what Samuels did. After about five months of chemotherapy, Samuels is now one of many women who call themselves ‘survivors.’
“People think that once you’ve been diagnosed that’s the end. It’s not, it’s the beginning,” she said.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman’s death is about 1 in 35 (about three percent). Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.
“I encourage all women to take the first step by getting checked regularly,” said Samuels. “There’s only so much the doctors can do. You have to be accountable and aware of your life. It could save your life. It saved mine.”
Currently, there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. (This includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.)
For more information about breast cancer and what you can do to help find a cure, visit www.cancer.org or www.relayforlife.org
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