Adventist Radio London inspiration for the song anybody want to make the Lord smile for your life? Everybody to rise.
It's nice, good evening, Good evening, and welcome to Talking Point. You're listening to Adventist Radio London and as always, we are happy to have you on board and we're having another meaningful and deep conversation raising awareness, this time on breast cancer. It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the theme for this month is no one should face cancer
alone and we're going to have a deep conversation. We've got two guests who will share their experience there their knowledge on the topic and hopefully we know that you will be blessed for this conversation and encouraged. Always I have with me my co hosts, Angela Petro. How are we doing?
Say, good evening, Good evening everyone, and welcome to Talking Points. Yeah, I'm not too bad. Another week has flown past, I think now I say that every week, but it's just scary how the year has flown past and we're yeah.
Almost in twenty twenty five.
Oh my goodness.
Yeah, it's been a bit of a stressful week.
I'm still getting over the loss of a friend and remember at our church Angela. So it's been a bit up and down, but hey, we're at another sabbath. I'm blessed for that. Had a full day as usual. So yeah, all good, all.
Good, good after everybody, Glad you got join us. Welcome to talk about this is Pedro. My week has been fine, you know, same old, same old. Use that word in a while in a while, yeah, I figured I would throw it out there.
But no.
Work has been good, driving a lot as usual. Both my cars broke down at the same time, which is unusual and for the same thing. But God blessed me so I was able to get them back up and running and at least one of them and pretty much. You know, children, my daughter has surgier on her finger. She had a very rare case on her finger. She they thought it was like a cist but it was bone. It was growing in her finger like going out, so it's like to make it a very hard lump. So
she had that. So she's recuperating from that. So that's about it. I mean, you know that the doctor couldn't even be explained it because they've never seen it before. They was kind of like it was kind of confused themselves like what it was. So we're hoping that they got it out and then it won't go back, because that could be the fair that could go back. So we'll see over time. But yeah, I know that, you know, everybody's in good health and we're good, you know, just maintaining,
you know, doing the same. I don't want to see it again. Actually, like you said, Angela, it's like, uh, just thinking about how close we are to Christmas, and it's like time is really flying. To me, the weeks go slow, it's the weekends that go fast. Weeks. The weeks go fast, but the weekends really go fast. It's like you blink and it's like it's Friday night. You're blinking and it's Monday morning. Yeah, that's how it feels to me.
Yeah, but yeah, the year is nearly done, would you believe it? And I say it all the time. It comes from doing weekly shows. In my case, I do monthly programs, and I think as soon as you've wrapped up one, here comes another. And I feel that helps to kind of speed the week so long it feels like you're constantly working on these projects.
And yeah, time working into projects because I do give my marriage. Yes, between that and this and then the kids and the wife and working, it's like like what do you what? My goodness like, where's the time going?
Where does the time go?
We can arrest you know, I feel I mean I feel you like you know how you feel?
Yeah, yeah, let me say this. We've got two guests on on and I'm going to let them introduce themselves shortly. A reminder maybe for people to get in touch. Perhaps you have a story, perhaps.
You have.
A breast cancer journey that you'd like to share, or to say how things are similar for you, what you've been through, what resonates with you. We really really would love to hear from you. Please do get in touch. It is Studio Adventist Radio dot London, or it's eight triple to eight Hope Space and then your message, or you can what's up zero seven four five nine six four to eight nine eight. Let's pray and then we'll
get started. Dear Henley, Fatherie, thank you for another opportunity, another opportunity to have a meaningful conversation this evening about breast cancer. Lord. This is a very serious topic and so many struggle with cancer in general have suffered from I've suffered with cancer, and Lord, I pray that this conversation will be a source of inspiration and blessing and encouragement to them, to us and to those who are taking part. Bless the technology in Jesus name. I pray,
Amen and Amen, Amen wonderful. I wonder our guest there, vetter Nicole. Yes, hello there, fantastic, fantastic Nicol. Why don't I start with you? You were with us before, so not a stranger to Talking Point, not a stranger to Arl. We had a breast cancer conversation. I want to say, who should idea say? I think it was April or they're about twenty twenty if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, it sounds so long ago. It was just under COVID, kicking off of COVID, and we spoke very candidly about breast cancer.
We had some guests on who had experienced it intimately, and I think it was a very meaningful conversation. Not I think it was a very meaningful conversation. So many people were blessed for it. But you're back, and we want to talk to you about what's been happening since we want to maybe get people caught up in terms of what they may have missed. What are you doing now? What do you do? I say, your health advocate, health
and well being advocate? What would you say? Nicole introduced yourself to our listeners.
Well, thank you first of all for having me back. And it has been quite a time since we spoke. There many beautiful things have happened. And I say beautiful because of course it's inside of the empowerment space. So yes, I am a woman's health advocate, educator and I am that a breast care specialist. I've been doing this for twenty two years, Caribbean based, but working globally and especially
with our education. One of the things that has really been very much a catalyst to the work that I'm doing is focusing on education.
And that's because a.
Woman who is diagnosed literally sometimes it's just caught up in so much that is going on in that minute that she has been diagnosed. She has to immediately spring into action and start looking at her care, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation. But the first thing she really has to do is look at addressing the situation. So that is one of the most traumatic times in the world for any person, and it's not just the person who is
being diagnosed. It's their entire social support system. It's the family. It's the partner, a spouse, if they're married or if they in relationship.
It's the children.
You know, children might be in such school age and suddenly mummy is no longer available to take it to school or to help you with the homework, and suddenly everything goes into upheaval inside the workplace. That woman is no longer able to participate in active work in the workforce, so that either reduces the income or the productivity both most instances. And then of course you start to feel like you are a burden to your family, your loved ones, to the workforce, to everything.
You know.
So there's so many.
Psychosocial facets that that play inside of this. So you know, every time a woman is diagnosed, I always said, the village is actually in trouble because it's not just a woman who is having a traumatic time.
It's the neighborhood.
If she was the newspaper vendor, or the or the supply of coconut water. I was using most basic examples, right, you know, you know you now no longer have access to your nourishment, your liquid nourishment, if you were buying coconut water from her every day on the way to work, if you were buying a newspaper, and no buying newspaper is now something that we don't even realize that newspapers, physical newspapers, anything start falling by the way, you know.
And of course that is just the social part of it. We haven't started to talk about the clinical part. We haven't started to talk about the psychological part. We haven't started to talk about the financial facets, you know, in terms of how is she going to pay for all of this, And we have not started to talk about the post surgical journey.
Way after a year later, two.
Years later, a decade later, we haven't started.
To deal with anything like that.
So my real passion and mission is around education. And it was really exciting that over the last weekend I was able to spend some valuable time with some of my global payers inside of the industry that I'm in, specifically around post operative care, and we were, you know, just sharing ideas, sharing best practices, sharing issues that we are dealing with and ways we have had to be creative to make sure that that woman feels empowered and doesn't feel like she's alone, you know, And that theme
for this is so apt because many times isolation and loneliness sets in. So that's that's a nutshell of what what I what, I will, how I will introduce myself, and I could go on and on, but I wanted to start by really punctuating this conversation with a picture, a picture of what happens when a woman is diagnosed, and how I play a role in that journey, and how I then allow her to feel empowered not just on her own, but but with with people along the way.
Thank you. There is such thank you, Nicole, There is there is, I mean, there is so much to the breast cancer story, so much to to what you discuss, and I think we want to unpack it, perhaps provide some statistics and figures as we go along. But if I can pull you back to the very beginning, what was it that prompted you to get into this space?
So I had had many many I wouldn't I wouldn't use the word reasons or rationales, many encounters and experiences with the breast story.
I will call it the breast story.
I had my.
Personal challenge as an adolescent girl at nine, starting to develop breasts very early, and knowing that I had a pair of breasts brought with it so many other fears and challenges. Also in high school at age sixteen and seventeen, when we were preparing to exit the secondary school and to emerge into the workforces, you know, adding our future, one of my classmates was in fact diagnosed with breast cancer.
And then we had encountered cancer.
In the village, in the community, in so many spheres as I had been emerging as a woman in society that I thought I had to take control of a conversation and change a narrative, particularly because I felt as a young woman when I had started doing my breast examinations, I had what they call cistic breast tissue. So my breast tissue is pretty much full of cyst what you might call, if in Layman's terms, lumpy breasts, and those cists sometimes might present as a risk if it is
that we don't understand our bodies. And so I had many many challenges, and that brought me to a dialogue around breast health and breast care, and it brought me into a space of understanding that I could either stand on the sideline and watch on and be afraid, or I could address this and change the lives of many,
and so I opted to do that. So in two thousand and two I started the Social Enterprise, and in two thousand and six I left my beautiful, fancy corporate job where I had so many fancy perks and everything. But I wanted to wanted to emerge in a space where I could make so much good use of changing and narrative, you know, And so for me, it was really about the social impact and about the work I would do and how difficult it might be. And it
has been, and trust me, is very challenging. But it's also very fulfilling to see women feel empowered and to see family glow on their faces because I have done something that really started where I decided that I needed to create impact and to add value in a community, in a space and a society, and of course, in that process provide women with dignity.
That's so wonderful. But I don't know if Pedro Angie want to jump in here, but I just I mean, your story is similar to so many who have stepped back from, like you said, corporate books, corporate jobs, corporate privileges, high paying high flying roles to kind of give back or to follow their passions, and generally passion is birth from pain. It's from those messes, from those mistakes that you get you understand what your purpose is. And that's
exactly what you've been saying. So it's really good to hear it, and we're looking forward to hearing more of what you've been doing in this in this health space. Angie, I don't know, Pedro, do you want to add anything here? And do we want to then talk about breast cancer, which is where we want to focus tonight's conversation. I remember reading that one in ten women are diagnosed with
breast cancer every hour in the UK. I may have that wrong, but but breast cancer is prevalent in the UK, and I'm sure Nicole will add to that that it's prevalent across the globe. You're a nute.
Sorry, Okay, sorry, I was just going to say, Nicole, you've mentioned obviously about wanting to change the narrative. What was the narrative? And you mentioned also about education. Was that something that was spoken about quite openly and quite frankly always there's still a lot of sort of misconceptions that I just wasn't spoken about. What was the narrative that you were definitely wanted to change and to educate people on.
So there was duality in the narrative.
So the first narrative was one of fear, so fear because we don't know what we don't know. So there's that duality of the fear of I don't want to go for a mammogram, I don't want to go for screening. I'm afraid to do my self examination. I am afraid to go for a breast ultrasound. So its that that first part of the narrative, right, the fair narrative, because when a woman thinks about being diagnosed with breast cancer,
the first thing she thinks about is immortality. The second dualism factor inside of the duality conversation or narrative is that of the social pressure social pressures of taboo, also the socio economic pressure of suppose I can't afford to
take care of myself following a diagnosis. So there were these two things that to me were really pressing and they're still are and in fact I had I did a presentation on that in twenty nineteen, twenty eighteen for the UNDP in Saint Lucia, and we started to catalyze around the empowering women, and we started, you know, that conversation to make sure that there was again ease of talking about it. Particularly in some social settings, you'll find
taboo outweighs the personal fear. But again, you know, one of the things that is very critical is empowering women so that they understand that early detection. If I do this early enough, if I have this conversation early enough, if I have this conversation with people who are not going to instill fear in me, or if I have second or third conversation with a multiplicity of people, this does not feel like I am alone, and it also doesn't feel like it's a taboo anymore.
So that was really the narrative.
Two basic narratives I needed to assist with changing. I won't say I've changed them totally, but I can contribute to changing those, and I think I've gotten far enough with that, so those, Okay.
What I got from it more than anything was being a father of two young girls. Is telling my wife to go check them. I mean, that's be honest, just because you don't realize sometimes you think it's cancer is just affecting adults, but you forget that it can affect your children too. And like she said, like my daughter's nine or she's ten now, but she's spent developing since she was nine, and she's developing at a very experiential
rate that I think is not natural. But you know, I've been told that that can happen sometimes, so you know, like just you know, talking to my wife and just you know, suggesting that maybe she you know, teaches her or her now so she could start learning from now, and you know, and my wife can also check, you know, and just checking on her, just making sure because you got to be self aware and like you said, nothing's taboo, nothing is out of the rum. You gotta talk about
things that you could be prepared in case. You know, you need to be prepared. So that's what I got from her conversation. When anything is just soon as she said that she was nine, it just took me right to my kids. I was like, wow, I never even thought about that. Even though you see TV and stuff and children with cancer, you still don't think about it like happening to you. So it's good to check in.
You know, that's right to clarifye, nothing happened to me at nine.
No, no, no, I didn't say no, no, I didn't say nothing happened to you. What I mean what I mean in the sense of just I'm just saying like, because we like you were saying, having a mamogram at a
you know, yet older, we have a managram. But I would say more in the sense of like because like I think, because let me put it this way, girls developed so much faster now that I think anybody that has a young girl should probably be more just to make just to check and make sure, because sometimes we just assume, you know, like like what if my daughter is not telling us that she has lumps in her
breast and then then she gets sick. Like that's what I mean, like being pro being proactive in in the early stages, just to make sure that you know that everything's okay. That's what I mean in that sense. You understand what I mean.
Sorry I said, we just don't want to scare the audience, you know.
I no, no, no, I'm not trying to scare the audience. But I'm just saying, though, but we still have to be we have to be parade. I think I think we as people. Sometimes we get complacent and just going with the flow, just going with things, and I think sometimes we need to be not I'm not trying to scare nobody because I'm talking about for myself. I'm talking about just you know, just porodically checking because you don't,
you know, you want to make sure. You got to make sure, because you said like one in one in five are diagnosed in an hour or something.
So yeah, I got my statistics wrong.
But yeah, well you know that well, but I mean I'm pretty sure that is a high rate. Yeah, because the world, with the world of everything that's going on in the world, there's you know, all this electrical stuff and and the wires and food and the environment. It's just it's and then genetics, you know, so it's just natural. So that I was just more saying in the sense of just it just made me more aware to be more mindful because it's like something that you don't think about.
And I'm not trying to make people get all anxiety and think about it, but we have to think about things like this because we have to you know, be might be mindful. That's it. That's all I'm really saying. I hope I'm not scaring anybody. I'm not trying to scare people. Not really just.
Wanted to no, I just wanted us to stick up in there. And Pedro, it's you're correct that proactive. You know, a way of being proactive is critical. So thank you for saying that. And the other thing I want to say to you as well, Petrol, is that men are also diagnosed with cancer and.
The chest region.
Yes, they are plug here at this moment, you know, as we have a minute and before we forget to encourage men as well to also understand that if you feel anything unusual, abnormal, you see anything that doesn't feel like it was there before you a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, please take action as well.
So again, inside of that idea of being proactive, Pedro, that you spoke about the men, you know, it's it's great to have the men inside of the conversation as well as fathers, as husbands, and particularly as men who want to be responsible for their health and their well being.
Can I answer a question on that subject in your experience? In your experience, are men are men more likely to go longer without Because my father, my father died of cancer and he had it, but he didn't go to the doctor. Yeah, he felt sick, but he didn't go to the doctor because men have a stigma about going to the doctor. So do you find it it's harder with men to get them to understand what I mean, Like.
Yes, So I'll teck this.
Over the years, we have seen and this is I'm speaking now in my environment in the Caribbean particularly, we have seen where a lot more public outreach is encouraging men.
To come forward.
So like health fears maybe available, and one of the things that might be on the cards or that health fare is free prostate screening or a voucher to go get free screening for the men. And you see men coming, You see men showing up, you know, especially in rural areas, and you're hearing men saying, now you know, I'm going to get checked. And that in itself is giving the man more longevity and also helping that other third narrative around the taboo of men not wanting to take charge
of their well being. You're seeing that being reduced. Remember, I'm going to bring my dad into this. He's now deceased, but I remember when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and his urologist, who I respect and regard so highly. He said to my dad, he said, you're not going to die of cancer, because we've sorted you out and you're all clear. Now you're not going to die of prostate cancer. And ten years later, my father died of her massive heart attack where because you know, he had
literally been clear of cancer. And funny enough, my father had seen his doctor because he was going for his frequent checkups. Even after that diagnosis, he'll go for his annual checkups.
And Edie would still.
Go for his routine checkups, you know, And he had gone for a routine checkup, like just two weeks before he passed away. And I remember when I went to his general surgeon, his general practitioners gp to tell her, you know, he had passed away and whatever. That woman almost collapsed because she was like, but I just saw your father and gave him a clean bill of health.
So again, you know, taking charge is one thing. And again I don't want to put fair in anybody's souls at this point, but we see a lot of men taking action, We see them being proactive, and we just want to encourage them, you know, to go for your checkups. Frequently to extend your life and to also extend your quality of life.
So to answer your question, Pedro.
I have seen from where I sit a lot more men feeling comfortable to have the conversation, because it is a very uncomfortable conversation to have, especially if you're talking about a digital prostate examination. You know, men feel it's a humiliating experience and all of these things. But the other great thing is that so many new technologies are now in place. In some ways, artificial intelligence is also helping in the process when it's used for good.
So we're seeing.
Trends where we can get more men to be more proactive and of course extend their life span and your quality of life.
When you say digital, do you mean with a finger or you mean digital like like electronically.
Digitald with a finger.
That is the tradition, that was the traditional way.
Yeah, we don't use you.
Don't use the word digital. That's why I was I want to clarify. I'm sorry, that's good. Actually, I was want to clarify because like for me, I'm like, if you talking about medical finger because I'm like, you're putting that finger, You're not putting that finger nowhere near me like you know, or try to get the doctor, got small hands or something. You know, but you know, that's just me, and that's.
One that's what brought about the table a lot specifically around the matches more culture in the Caribbean where that would be like exactly what you just said, you're not putting.
A finger anywhere. I am not going for as.
But again, technology and so many other things have taken you know, precedents now to help. I also choose the mortality read. You know, we have to remember something, right, there's long, there's longevity.
And then there's quality of life. If you live in long.
And miserable and unhealthy and unwell, that is not quality of life. But if we are taking early action and addressing our situations and getting people involved with us and be again back to the theme, no one should be alone. If we're taking folks along with us, it feels better. Like last week, I made an appointment for not just me to go for my checkups, but for a few of the women entrepreneurs that I know, a few other women in my sphere. I said, okay, I've made a
point once for us to go for our mammograms. And if you don't want a mammogram for your breast ultrasound or your exam, your hand examination, your your breast self examination being done by a nurse practition or a nurse. I said, so we go in right, and I called the clinic, I made the reservation and we went together. Because sometimes as well, you may want to do it, but you may want some company.
The nice thing is.
That we've all been getting our results back and like big kids, now we're sending each other what'sapp screenshots of our results. Thankfully, we've gotten good results, good outcomes. But the other thing is, you know, sometimes that's where the game changes for a lot of women. But again, if you're not alone, there's no way you will go through this on your own or feeling like there's no where to turn or that there's no one to support your journey.
And again, let's do it early. Let's always do it proactively and early.
Yeah, perfect, Pedro. I just I'm going to come back to you very quickly before we move on, because you speak about about the fear and not going to the doctor for whatever reason. Tell us, I mean you're a man. What are some of the hindrance for men going and checking whether it's cancel or any other thing. Because our men are notorious like that. What are some of the thoughts or the hingances in your opinion that prevents our
men from from doing these necessary health checks. Just to put you on the strength as our man on the team.
Oh no, I don't mind being on the spot. I think honest truth hones. Truth is that a lot of times the minute of the you know, the worker brings home them, you know, the money, you know, it works out. But they feel like if they they can't get sick, so they get sick. But then they just hide it. They act like they're not sick, and they just keep pushing through, powering through because they're like, we need money,
we need to pay the bills. If I get sick, who's going to pay the bills, Who's going to do this, Who's going to do that? That's part of the mindset of a man of a man thinking today. Another thing is they just don't like doctors. We just don't like doctors. Sometimes we just don't want to go to the dentist. We don't want to go get a eyes checked, We don't want to go, you know, get a jilly check up, like they say you get the car checked every year,
you should get your body check. It's just I think it's such a generational circle that it's been happening for so long. It's just a really hard thing to break. Men just men just have that that that stigma in their head that they're not supposed to get sick. So when they do actually get sick, they just think, I'll just take the rubbertesting, I'll just take you know, some natural remedies. I'll just take some pills and I'll be okay.
And then next thing they know, it's too late. They have full blown cancer, they have full blown any disease they may have. And then now they're almost incapacitated because they did not, you know, as soon as they felt something go get checked. Yeah, And that's I mean that to me as a male, that would be my Every mail may have a different reason, but for me, that's what I feel as a male. That's what we do. I work in healthcare and I still don't like going
to the doctor. I hate going to the hospital. I mean, I I book, I had an accident and I smashed. I smashed. I got a booken pelvic bone, wrist and three ribs and I only stayed in the hospital a week because I hated it so much. But in hindsight, I should have stayed longer and actually healed, but I didn't give my self a chance to heal. So then further down the road, I'm, you know, having some hip problems.
My hips kind of swelled every now, and you know, I should have stayed in and healed myself a little bit better than that. So it's just we just have the stigma like I don't want to be here is you know, I just don't, you know, So we just don't. We tried not to be in situations we don't want to be in, even though sometimes it's best to just take a minute and rest. And I thought the same thing with it was the same thing my job. I got to get back to work. I got to provide
for the family. If I don't work, I don't get paid. You know. It was all those things, like he was only give me non vacation days, so I was like, that's all I got, and I got to get back to work, like you know. So it's it's so many different it's so many different factors, but more likely it's most likely be that factor.
I just I mean Nicole, you mentioned it, and it's so important, so critical our support system, because we've got to look out for each other in terms of the women, encouraging our men in our circles to get checked, to you know, go to the hospital if they're sick, to find out things early enough that it can make a difference.
And similarly, you mentioned Pedro about your girls. It's being attentive understanding that you have a role to play as well in terms of encouraging the women in your circle, the women in our lives, to get checked, to be familiar with their body, to be comfortable with their body so that they can pick up and recognize any changes that might need urgent attention or looking into investigating. So we really have to look out for each other. It's
not for any one person. I mean telling my husband, you know what, it's okay, we'll manage, we'll get through, We'll get through financial and otherwise. But I need you to take care of you. These are important conversations that we need to keep having, need to keep having. I'm going to take a little break and then we're going to come back to have a conversation with Lovetta, who's been so patient and waiting in the wings we were talking about, and I thought, Petrol, that was an excellent
point to bring Levetta in. You're talking about our girls, Nicole, you mentioned noticing differences in your breast test. You're at nine. Lovetta is a young person and maybe immediately you would not think she should have to deal with breast cancer. I don't know if we've gone away from thinking it's age related or only the old suffer from breath breast cancer or need to be aware of their bodies. But case in point with Levetta, and I'm looking forward to
hearing her story. But she's young and may not have been paying that attention or thought she needed to pay that kind of attention. Let's hear from her what her journey has been like. And Nicole, then you can obviously piggyback on what she said, and she has some insight from your perspective. Let's take a break and then we'll come back and speak to Love Better.
Bring us back.
Right, So we've come back from the break and we're talking breast cancer. We've got Nicole, Joseph Chin on the line with us, and also Love Better, so young cancer by all accounts, breast cancer survivor. Angela. You mentioned in the break that you've got some steps that sort of highlight the fact that breast cancer happens at every age.
Yes, and also I mean breast cancer, interestingly enough, is the most common cancer in the UK. And as you took put your stats before, this is according to breast Cancer Now the ORG, women's diagnosed every ten minutes and around fifty five thousand women and four hundred men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. Similar thing it figures globally as well, the second most common cancer in the US.
And again you know, it's the higher prevalence.
And it is common more commonly sort of diagnosed in older women. Eighty percent of breast cancers occurring women over the age of fifty, and most men who get breast cancer will be over the age of sixty.
The higher prevalence in women, and.
There's quite a lot of and maybe Nicole can maybe speak to this later in terms of the ethnic disparities, of disparities between ethnic groups as well. You know, some groups have got a higher prevalence, survival rates and what have you as well, and the fact that possibly you can't necessarily change and you could increase your risk is maybe having a family history of breast cancer as well.
But the age, the age concept, and again we often think of in many of these illnesses and cancers as something that as you get, as you get older, it should often be a challenge because the agent wish that you actually get sent, you know, to have your mammograms in your checks is usually much older. And sometimes when you might think, oh, something doesn't feel quite right, you may go to your doctors and they kind of potentially sometimes could brush brush was sure have you because you
know old enough and what have you? So, which is quite interesting. But that'll obviously said, was bring us nicely in to introduce Levettter to share her story as to you know, how things transpired for her and her Yeah, and I like the idea of the breast journey as it were, as Nicolas talked about that. So Levetta, thank you for joining us. Tell us a little bit about yourself and yeah and what you do, and tell us a little bit about your story.
Okay, good evening, good night, as the same lenains Lovettter, I just to correct then you're just a little bit I am a self survivor. I'm not quite quite.
The clear I am.
You know, I just turned forty actually in August, which was a good, great milestone.
And.
I am taking it one day at a time.
M hm.
As they say, but in my with regards to my story.
M hm.
I actually most of the time, my friends and my family, they know that I've been sick for a while. Excluding the breast cancer I've been, I've been sick for a while. I've had psychodosis. Well. I've also had two ship of placements, both hips. I am on the as the spectrum. So yeah, I have a whole list of medical conditions. But it wasn't until uh, probably the year after COVID twenty twenty one, when my dad was was ill, he had been hospitalized, that you know, I started to feel we went back.
I went back to checking actually, you know, my breasts. And I was saying, because as an Angela and Nicole and pedis, it's good to check. It's always good to check, especially for a woman when you start, when you start getting into the probably a late teens. I would say, you checked chart checking more.
And you used to sorry to cut you, Sorry to cut you? Is that you're are you saying that's your experience. Is that you that you were checking all along.
Yes, I was checking all along, and then you know it's so, you know, so you sort of life get in the way and you kind of, you know, all that goes to the back of your mind as you know, you're either going to school or your work. You start working, so you know it doesn't come back to you. But then with the COVID stuff, I just thought, you know,
start checking again, and I didn't. There was nothing for the year or so, and then my dad died and about I think about three months after m HM because I had been feeling a lump you know during that time, but I was it kept I said, I go to the GP, and I kept for getting another like, no,
this time, I have to go. And I went to the GP and they put me to a nurse and the nurse said, well, you know, I wouldn't say is breast cancer, but to be on the safe side, she booked me a appointment at the hospital in the breast breast apartment. And I was like, yeah, went for all those tests and yeah, breast cancer.
Were you alone and you went or what did you have someone go with you?
When I was the GP, I went alone. M. And then when she said, you know, just to be on the safe side, I was like, mom, I have some news to tell you. So she went with me. We prayed before, prayed before that, and we went and while we were waiting, you know, we were to have a little prayer, and we went into the doctor and she was like, back, it's cancer. And lucky for me, it was.
The like third.
Third stage. It wasn't too it wasn't too far gone, but it wasn't too early either.
M And.
She looked so.
Sympathetic. I guess, you know, is one of her when part of a job is telling you know, ladies young and old, you know they've got this thing and accustomed to them, you know, probably breaking down, I guess. But because of the some education, I wasn't in hysterics, as you would say, and I kind of made peace with the thought of, you know, there is there is the chance is a possibility of me having this.
When you say, just just to clarify, when you say education, are you saying that you've you did a bit of research yourself, and you did a bit of of reading, et cetera, just to kind of find out what what this might mean for you.
Yeah, and you know, I researched it and read it, you know, the possible possible things that could happen, possible treatments that you know, I could be recommended or on the take. And also with my my mom was the big part of me not being as freaked out as you know somebody would be mhmm. And there was no tears, no crying. The only time I did cry was asked, Mama, glad.
That was painful. That was very painful, and I was I was telling my mom, I don't want to be here, I don't like this place, but that would the odd I think that that was also a release as well, you know, trying to get me my body saying we know that you you're nice and calm, but sometimes it's good to just release any you know, earth emotions. So I am. And then in twenty twenty two, my treatment started.
Okay, and what what was your treatment?
Was it?
Chemo?
Was it?
I had two months of chemo, which wasn't too bad, and then I'm months into my chemo. I started a Fresco regime which I'm still on now, which is more of a management management treatment which I have every see weeks.
Okay, Nicole. Can I just ask you here, is there a change in the landscape for breast cancer? Have you noticed a change in the landscape for breast cancer over the years. Are you seeing a difference in terms of more younger persons being diagnosed? Are you seeing anti touched on that? Is there a difference in demographic and ethnicities? Are you seeing any changes in that respect?
So, yes, the demographic has been constantly changing globally, globally and particularly heightened in certain socio ecn strata, specifically because of things like dietary and environmental issues. Of course, genetics play is a very key role, and in a lot of instances ethnicity too, particularly brown or mixed races, and
particularly with strains of you know, different variations. So in terms of the demographic age particularly, you see younger women being diagnosed beauty about and I use the word beauty, but I don't take it lightly when I use it. But the good thing about it is that once detected early and once a category that can be treated and most can, we find that longevity starts to be.
The real reality for that woman.
Again, that's why it's important to do routine checks and to be self aware and to be very familiar with our bodies and to understand if something is feeling uncomfortable, we don't wait, you know, Love Thatta, I'm so glad that you took the opportunity to make sure that you were going to get screening because of a suspicion.
And you know that is actually.
What gives women the chance to address their health care, to walk through a manageable health care program or regime, and then to come out triumphantly, even if it means that, Okay, I now have to adjust my life, adjust my lifestyle, make some radical changes, reduce my stress levels. You know, stress has come up as one of the catalysts in most instances, in many instances, high stressed environments, high stress relationships,
high stress in terms of workforce, workplace. So there's so many social, environmental, and then of course clinical facets that are all responsible collectively or all contributed. But yes, to answer your question, there have been there has been earlier diagnoses, you know, throughout many, many women who are diagnosed, and the great thing, the really really good thing is that they can be treated once detected early.
And you spoke earlier about your passion for education and love. Thank you very much, for sharing, and we're going to dial with a little bit more. I'm sure Anti and Petro has questions, but you spoke about that you said about being educated and how that helped you to prepare
for the moment. I mean, you were hopeful that it wasn't, but you are also realistic that it could have been, and you did the research, you understood what this might mean for you, and therefore you were less overwhelmed, less hysterical, and obviously, obviously we're going to touch on that you're a woman of faith. Your mom is such such a prayer warrior, and I'm certain that had a lot to
do with them and how you have journeyed through this process. Angie, sorry losing my voice, Angie Pedro, do you have any questions for at this point?
Solah, thank you so much for sharing your story and your experience in this. Just to go back to when you first as you mentioned, when you first received your diagnosis, you know you weren't necessarily hysterics, But going forward, what has been that sort of suppose for you, what has been the hardest part of this journey, maybe in those kind of initial periods of diagnosis and starting treatment, what's been the hardest thing for you so far, would you say.
So, it's mostly the increase in appointments, scans. I have to have scans in my eyes, blood tests and echo every three months to make sure that my heart is up to the job of all the treatments that I'm getting, so is yeah, and then you know, if it's not, then what happens? Then do I have to stop the treatments?
And something happened, else happened. So it was you know, it's stress with a little bit in that regard, and then telling telling the rest of my family because at the moment only because during my dad died before my diagnosis, Yes, he died in the year of my diagnosis, right, So yeah, it was it was a bit you know, you know here and there, and also yeah, most of my family either at the Caribbean nor America, so tell them as well.
And then getting my you know, telling my mom on top of you know, her lids and her husband.
It was.
It was a bit of overwhelming in that respect. And then my sister, my younger sister is also she's studying, but she's not studying in the UK. She's studying in South Korea, so she couldn't even be there in some place I was, you know, comforting her because she could be there.
For me, right right.
Yeah, it's so important that the support network that we have. And I think it was Nicole who mentioned it earlier that sometimes with a diagnosis you feel more like a burden. You feel like you're the one, you know now depending so much on your family and I'm needing so much that you become a burden and that that is a
difficult process or a difficult feeling. So yeah, mentioning that and recognizing that, I'm certain must be must have been have been hard on top of whatever else you were going through, in particular loss of your dad.
I mean, you know, sorry, you know the automatic response if somebody asks you, oh, are you play some fine? Oh I'm good, And because I've been sick so much, that was my response, you know, I if I'm feeling okay on that day, I'm like, of course, you know,
I'm fine, I'm good. But my family has been so tuned to me and so supportive that they know any nuance, they know the nuances of the arm fines, so they will delve into if they if they find a particular nuance, I don't know I don't know it myself, but they seem to to have caught on to something. They will do, they will dig in a little bit more. They you know, are you in pain or is there is there something? Are you feeling naughtseo or are you you're feeling a
bit sick dizzy? So, you know, having being close to family is also one of the big things I would say, is you know, it's one thing that you want to have, especially when you're going through something like this.
M hmm.
It's interesting to say that because my next question was kind of going to be, you know, my theme for this month, know one she'd face breast cancer alone. I was going to ask you what does that theme mean to you personally and how does that how would that innate with you? And you've kind of mentioned that obviously, you know, having family and a strong support system around you, But is there anything else that you would add when you sort of think about that theme.
It's having the peace of mind to know, you know, stuff is going to happen in life mm hmm. And it's either you wail up wail about it, or you take refuge in you know what God has promised that you'll never be alone. Even if you don't have family at this time or friends around you at this time, you won't be alone.
Right.
So yeah, a lot of people ask me, how are you so calm? Like why would I not be? And what would be the point of me stressing out anyway?
Right?
So that's that's my little.
Thing I learned. I learned a long time ago that stress will actually cost more harm than good. Yeah, you know, it's hard to not stress, but with what you're going through, if you stress, you'll just get sicker. It's like it's years ago. I read this book and the first line in the book was that stress kills you more. Stress is a number one killer, more than heart attack, more
than drugs, more than anything in this world. Stress is the writing factor that can cause you to lose your life, you know, to make the whatever you're having progress faster. Angela kind of still like done that because I was going to ask you that question, what would you say as a person that has is going through this? So I guess I rephrase it like this, what would you say?
What would you say to a person that has been diagnosed recently that may be feeling like they said, like, you know, they're more of a burden than a than anything else. What would be your advice to them, and the importance of what you kind of touched on it with your family being there for you, the importance of the family helping you to understand. But yet is it harder? Is it harder for you to accept the help because
you know, sometimes people don't accept help. Is it harder for you to accept the help or me?
Pers me personally? I accept all help if I can. It's just like most people, they don't. I would prefer to be asked most sometimes, especially if it's like a simple thing, you know, ask, you know, ask, because some people just assume that maybe you know, you want this help or you need this help when you know you're okay doing it on your own. But you may say, okay, you know such a you know social and such, can
you just help me with this? Some people, yeah, when they think that they are bred it is because some people just rush to help them without asking, or they think, you know, I don't don't want to ask because then I feel guilty that they have to come, as you know,
take time out of their time and help me. Whereas if you the person who's feeling a burden doesn't understand that who is helping them, especially their family would feel even more burden or more guilty not helping, because then you're like, oh, you know, if something happens, especially when they're sick, and they don't tell their family or their friends, and then either they pass away or they get sicker or you know, in the hospitalized, then their friends and something,
they're like, how can I not know? How did I not know? And I see them every day? How did I not know? So it's best, I would say, it's best to tell them and then maybe you can go through. Okay, this is what help I would need, or this is what help I would prefer, instead of you not just saying I don't want to. I don't want to say anything because I don't want to. No, inconvenience them in a.
Way, right, so that the person should actually should ask the person what they need instead of assuming you know what you're saying.
Yeah about having conversations is what I'm getting. Just having conversations establish what, what's what's good, what's not, what I would like, what I won't like, what would work for me. We don't often have those conversations that we shy away from them.
It's kind of like what we learned when we did the program on grief. That's why they're just not saying the the first thing that comes out your mouth, but actually like ask a question and I actually listen to the person to what they're saying, yeah, yeah, and then acting on what they ask for, even if you don't agree with it, because I think sometimes too people think, oh, that's not what she wants, she wants this, so they do what they think you want. It's not what you want,
and then you're like, I didn't ask for that. Then they get irritated be like, but that's not what I ask for. So it's kind of like that same concept in that sense.
Yeah, And also then you know, sometimes when you ask how are you, you know, how are you you okay? Some people they just say how are you okay? And they don't even wait for the answer. So I've had that issu experience, like I've wanted to say something, you know, like oh I'm not feeling that good, or to just have a little talk with somebody. I mean, ask how are you okay? You know, how are you? And I'm like, and they didn't even wait for me to to take
a breath. To report your client they've gone at the door, and I'm like, oh, okay, I'll just you know, to take it that. It's always if you ask somebody if they're okay, especially if you know that they're sick or you just recently land that they're ill. You know, even if you're in a rush, just wait for that little poor let's have a little pause. You know, they might say,
you know, or today it wasn't too good. And then you know, maybe even if it's just five minutes, say okay, oh, you know, give me a call or I'll call you. And then so when when you have more time later, then you can actually have that response. You just say then to not let them even take a breath before they respond. So that was one that was one of the I think that was one of the the things that got me a little bit down when when you know, especially when I got diagnosed with breast cancer.
M because can I can I ask you to jump in here and kind of talk from your own experience and the work that you do. What are some of the issues that you see our women who are suffering with breast cancer present in terms of their support network. What are some of the things they're saying, are they getting support? Is it difficult to get support? How would you advise persons like theveter or persons who are supporting people with breast cancer. How do you navigate that space?
So, first of all, there are a few layers of support that we must look at. So I remember when I started doing my work many years ago. One of the things that I found in my consultancy, because we do a consult a consultation and most times when a woman came into a consulting space, when we asked a certain question, she did not have the answers, and that brought me to a point of feeling very, very sad about where this was going to end up, not so
much for her treatment, but for her rehabilitative journey. And so some of those questions are really not questions that I asked in a day.
You know.
So I had to come up with a way to make sure that whilst I was asking those questions, I wasn't imposing some additional level of discomfort to most women. And when that happened, I recognized I had some extra work to do. And one of the things that I do very well is I look for gaps and in finding those gaps, especially in mainstream post surgical care and that kind of thing. When I find the gaps, what
I do is I fill it with a solution. I'm not going to be dredged, you know, dwelling on the problem. I find a way to create a solution. So funny enough, yesterday was the the twentieth of this This month was actually the fourteenth anniversary of a book that I created called The Treatment Companion. And what that did was it added an additional layer of care, documentation, self awareness that could be expressed inside of a journal, so to speak.
And what that does and what that has done over the years, is it gives the woman a companion that she can literally have immediately at hand. It is easy to use. It could fit in a pocket book. It's you know, pocket size for ease of use. When I
said pocket like a handbag size. And the other thing it does is it also helps the entire social and clinical support community because she can then I mean, one of the things that we know happens is brain fog and overwhelm, and so in that sphere of Wellman brain fog, a woman can now use this tool. And I love creating tools and we've created a lot she can use this tool to now navigate her journey of treatment, recovery,
and rehabilitation. And so when she uses this, even if she has to refer to something that was totally in her mind at the tirement is not totally out because oh my gosh, I forgot. This tool has been able to help become a reference tool where I can go back to my doctor and if my doctor asks, okay, so what was that feeling like, I have a documentation of what that feeling was like last Tuesday or ten tuesdays ago, because of course this is part of my
recovery journey and my treatment. So again, if my family or family member wants to reference something and I am not able to recall or to go back to it, now, my family can use this tool, my caregivers can use this tool, my clinicians can use this tool, and I can use this tool.
So that was one of the things I did.
Because what we find as well is that there are support communities. There could be like physical support communities, like let's say a support group, there's always that family support and many times, you know, when we have a kind I'm speaking from my perspective now, when we have a consultation, sometimes the family, the entire family comes. I would give you a beautiful story. I like to give beautiful stories. Last year, a mother in law called me. She said,
my daughter in law was diagnosed breast cancer. So they made the appointment to come. When they came, the mother in law came, the husband came, her sister came, her mother came, She came, and their nine year old son came. And we had been taking care of them with all the post surgical apparatus that they need, everything that they require. And one of the things I like to do as well is when when I am in the area, if I am closed by your house, I'm going to come and visit you.
Of course I will call first. So she told me about you.
So I'd seen her for like about a year already by that time, and one day she called me and she said, I have some news for you, you know, but I want to see you and what I want to tell you, and you know, in in your presence.
I want to be physically present.
So I had a meeting down it isn't she was in the south of vieland I had a meeting down south, and I decided.
Let me go.
And when I passed by to see her, she said to me, and this was after chemo, after radiation, after a mastectomy, of course, she said to me, I am pregnant. I am expecting our second child. So you know, I was literally I was excited, I was ecstatic, I was prayerful, I was thankful.
We were all grateful.
But again, that support system she brought literally when she came for her consultation, she brought her entire support system. But besides her bringing them, theyre brought her because they were literally carrying her through this journey. And you see that a lot. You see that a lot, you mean.
Levetta talked about her mom being there with her. She also talked about her faith inside of the journey, and we cannot negate faith inside of this as well, we have to make sure that we also recognize the value that faith plays in this. So the support is, again, as I said earlier, at many layers. So it's your faith, it's your family, it's your friendships, because some people, their
friends are really that community. It might be your co workers, it might be your village, and then it might be that co heart of people who have a like minded experience or similar lived experience. It might be survivors like yourself. So support is critical, it is important.
It takes on many features. Some people will tell you.
I know a man who said, I don't want to be in a support group because everyone might talk to women and a group that get me depressed, They get me upset, they get me angry. So I don't want to be in a support group. But guess what, I have lovely books, I can read, I have my prayers, I have my faith community. Some of them would say,
you know, I go to the beach. So again, that support, besides human beings and besides being in you know, palpable ways that we can acknowledge and recognize, it might also be some people's inward strength. It might be some people's will power. And I am going to tell you about two women. I'm going to share this about two survivors that I have. Three actually, let me bring three of them into this conversation. One of them is two of them are named Cheryl, and I actually call a detail
of two Cheryls. One Cheryl she had been diagnosed and she always talks about her three breast cancer adventures because she was diagnosed and then she was diagnosed a few years later later, so she's had over the years of double or bilateral masterectomy, but not immediately and with previous you know, with with with a gap between her diagnoses.
But Cheryl, I remember one time came to me with her doctor's order, her doctor's prescription, and this was to get her medical things because right after her surgery, my lady decided she wanted to travel and she wanted to go abroad to do some training in her field of work. And she asked her doctor, her surgeon, you know, and he gave for the okay. Of course, he gave for the okay with a look. And then he said, well, I have to go by miss Profit because she has
to take of you before you travel. So that's the first Cheryl. She is now a survivor for more than a decade. I would say it's probably about eighteen years. We've been taking care of Cheryl, and interestingly enough, we've actually seen multiple generations of her family, not due to breast cancer, but due to our bra fitting work. And then there's the other Cheryl who actually this year, just about two months ago, was representing Trinidad and Tobago, her
country of birth at the Master's Olympics. And again that's because she is a champion in her fear of athletics, and she is sixty eight. But she is also again because of one her support network, her faith and her family and community and her mind, you know, being very very challenged by doing things such as athletics and keeping active.
She was in was it Sweden? Throw and shot put on?
Discuss fordad and Tobago, right, And the other woman is Barbara, and Barbara is a is a top of strength. When I talked to Barbara, Barbara gives me all the courage because again she has been I remember when she was diagnosed and she was going for chemo. She had long dread locks down to her hips. And she is a judge, you know, she's actually in the judiciary, but she would go to Keemoon.
And go to court and I'm like, what of where power and stamina do you have?
But again it was inside and then it was around, you know, So it's a combination. And I'm never going to challenge a woman who says she can't do it, or she doesn't have the strength, or she doesn't have the courage, or she doesn't have the support because it's real, but there are layers, and there are layers that make us feel that women really are, in fact superheroes. That's it, superheroes.
I want to say, I agree, Yes, I love that we are in arguing here we are, we are, we are so much so that probably we don't get the gear and we don't seek the help that we need. And that's maybe the flip side to it. But absolutely I give every woman they came absolutely. Thank you very much, Nicole. I think what we'll do now is just flip into some of the myths I'm surrounding breast cancer, and I want to start by asking, Love. I know I've been bringing you in a lot of the conversation, so thank
you for staying with us. What what surprised you most? You said you educated yourself, you prepared yourself, or or what you thought would be this breast cancer journey. Has there been any surprise? Is anything that you thought you'd noticed but it didn't happen as you thought it would. I mean, I know when we talked cancer, we talked you know, hear loss, so we talk about being weak and and warn and not being able to eat and all that kind of stuff. Did you see that. Did
you not? Did that surprise you? What?
What?
What?
What?
What are some of the things that you didn't expect to see that you saw or vice versa.
Well, I didn't spread.
Let me tell it. Can I just say before you continue love that, I just want to let our listeners know that you very much accepted the invitation last minute to come on here, and I thought that's so grave. Thank you, very very very much. I know we we didn't have any pre conversations. You didn't have any pre you know, any warning or anything like that. So you've come on and you've just decided, you know what you're You're willing to talk about this and hopefully encourage someone.
So I want to make sure that the listeners understand where you come from here. And I want to thank you again for willing.
Your phone call. I thought it was like a catch up phone call, but it was an invitation phone call.
It was an invitation about five minutes ago. But yes, anyway, tell me what what surprised you about the breast cancer?
I did hear loss? Actually I went down to what my little brother called baby Ostrich here and yeah, he actually he actually helped me. I tried to keep it as long as possible. But one day I was brushing it, not even roughly, just gently, and it was coming out in clubs. So I was like, Okay, it's time to go. But yeah, my she's not. She wasn't the on collogist. She was the breath counter specialist.
She was.
She was very much. When I went in for my consort, she will say, you know, you will you lose your hair if you do get chemo, and I was like, okay, that's fine, and she she was. I think she was surprised at the the level of the calmnces, which I accepted. Here lost So I was like, because I told her, no, I look, I look great in wigs. I have a whole week collection. Don't worry about that. So that was that. But the I think one of the unexpected things was I got insomnia so I could go. It was like
the whole days would I sleep maybe one or two hours? Okay, so you don't really hear that, No, you hear more. Yeah, but yeah, I got. But sometimes I'll be it'll be five, my mam or whoever will go to sleep, run about nine, but I'll be up until it's light again the next morning, so until the next morning and maybe then sleep with an hour and then get up again. Were worried that was what it was.
It's you do you think that's what it was?
So I.
Did, I did, you know. I did talk to my ecologists about that. Who was who was a very nice man. He was doctor. He was so good. He is very supportive as well. And one of the first things he asked when we came in me and my mom was do we believe in God? So my mom was like, no, this is the doctor to have. Yes, he is one
to have. But yeah, and so he said, as long as you're you know, you don't feel any excessive tiredness after that or and you're not you yourself are not worried about that, and you're getting at least some sleep, he said, it's it's a bit normal. So he said some yes, some people do have it. Now I'm back, I will sleep at night. My body is like nope, Now nine o'clock comes and like time to go to bed.
Okay, well we'll make sure that you're you're ready for bed soon. We'll keep it too much longer.
Yeah, yeah, And that thing, that's what's the only thing, was yeah, insomnia, and it wasn't lack of appetite, but I would eat and get tired or let me halfway through a meal and my body is like, you have to rest.
H Yeah, I've heard of that as well.
Yeah, yeah, that was surprising to me. I was like, oh, sometime I take two or three spoonfuls of or something and then verry, I have to wait a bit or have a lit a nap before I have to eat again. So yeah, that was that was the only thing that was unexpected that I would.
Say, Nicole, can I bring you back in then? And can otherwise?
That most of the things I had read about.
Read about okay, fair enough Nicole, And of course, of course.
I got the name Lovetta. You should get kids, right? No, yeah, said again, No, you asked the question. I did ask a question, but I don't remember, and I don't know if I should ask it. No, she doesn't have kids, Okay, I don't know, I don't. I'm sorry, then the question applied it. I don't know why I thought you said earlier when I was listening, so I apologize. Maybe it's I'm getting them confused. Hey boy, my apologies.
That's okay. I was just asking Nicole if she you know what other metal or or in educating our listeners, what what should they prepare for or what might be surprising to them in terms of what usually is told in terms of breast cancer but may not be as applicable now as it was before. Or then what's some of the myths?
Right, So some of the therapies, truly, everybody's experience or response might be different. And then with most of them, there are common factors in those therapies, like most chemo drugs will induce hair loss. Of course they'll be medical menopause or clinical menopause due to uh some of the medications and treatments, and so there are these realities. But of course every woman would respond differently. I remember the very Sherry, the one, the one who had her three
breast cancer adventures. I remember her. She went shopping for wigs, and she always gives this a whig story, right, and her dream was always away of blond wig. She bought herself this fancy, really famous blonde wig, and she used it. But then suddenly when her hair grew back, of course, where she had gray hair, it grew back jet black, you know, So she had this newy growth of hair following chemo that was a little unusual and common from
what natural hair prediagnosis was. The other thing is, I'll tell you I've had women who have had mass tectomies were not candidates for reconstruction. We're wearing breast prostices that we fit them with and then became, you know, decided, oh my gosh, I'm going to get married and I need to get a strap less bran and I want
to become a bride that wears a traditional dress. We've outfitted mass tectomy brides and that's been so exciting because you don't have to believe the night that after you've lost a breast or being diagnosed breast cancer, you've lost your femininity and you've lost your identity. So I've it worked to women who we've fitted post surgically for beautiful bridal gowns, maternity bras for at least breastfeeding on one
side because one breast has been removed. So there are so many things, so I sex, sexuality, femininity, you're your sense of libido, you know, your feeling of feeling like a woman, and all of these other things. Going to the beach, only grown up conversations are what we need to have. Yes, women going to the beach especially, you know, I always tell women when you're especially when you're living in the Caribbean and you're living in the tropics.
Let yourself enjoy the beach. It's part of your healing.
You know.
It's really really so therapeutic to be able to use the ocean, which you're getting for free because men people love to buy a.
Ticket to go access the ocean.
So please enjoy nature, enjoy the outdoors, embrace your femininity. Don't believe that because you've lost a breast, a man is not going to be attracted to you.
And so many other things. You know, and I'll tell you this laughter once you could laugh laugh.
Because laughter has truly proven itself to be the best medicine, and there have been instances where we see it. The Cheryl, the one with the Three Adventures, she became a happiness coach following her diagnoses because she recognized that happiness was actually what took her through her journey.
Yes, so she has been.
Empowering people to just be happy.
And you know, every time we think about an event or activity where we have women and having conversations around a diagnosis, I'm often very very enticed and excited and moved to introduce every woman to my two cherls and my barbera.
I love it. I love it. In fact, I mean, I don't know if it's so much now, but there certainly is no need to associate breast cancer with a death that with a death sentence. There is so much that has been done in this fair and in this in this area that we can with early diagnosis. We've hammered that point throughout the program. There is help, there
is there is healing. So we just want to encourage our women and our men to do the work to make sure that they check, they double check, they insist so that they can have early diagnosis if anything seems amiss. And absolutely, I mean one of the myths, and I'm not sure if it is a myth now, but it's certainly comforting to know that breast cancer is not a death sentence. There is so much that can be done and so many people survive it. Also, Nicole, you mentioned
it in terms of mindset. How important mindset is, how important having the right attitude, laughing, praying, you know, going to the beach, having fun, How important these things are. I mean, I dare say, maybe not as much as chema, but certainly it plays a vital role in terms of healing and restoration. Angel have anything to add to that, No, I think.
Just kind of said that, but identally VIDEO agree, and I guess this is where our faith will come into will come into this.
I mean, you know, we know.
If you are people of faith, you know that you know, the God's word is full of promises, full of words of encouragement, you know. And again where you mentioned about you know, letting people know hopefully people will be praying for you, you know, and you know, praying, encouraging, et cetera. So all of those things can kind of feed into that. So definitely, how.
Is that all of that?
I'm sure it's not always easy because I think that level of being intentional with the I've got to get my mindset right because the real years, you may have your low days, you know, when you're not feeling so wearly you've had treatment, and even though you know that's going to help you, it's not an easy ride, you know. So I think it is also you know, being able to kind of manage those feelings as well and recognizing
that those days may come. But you know, there is a bright light of the end as it were, you know, So yeah.
Yeah, we're going to take a break now. Thanks Angie, We're going to take a break now and then love if we come back with you just giving any final words or any words of encouraging to anybody who may be going through what you've been through, any tips that's from your perspective, any advice from your perspective. And Nicole, we want to end with you in terms of what you're doing now. I know you're in DC, and I
know it's work related. Maybe just shared a little bit about what you've been doing since we last spoke work wise, tell us a bit more about graphit and what's next for you. So we'll take a break and then we'll come back and close with these few things and anything else that and Angela, Pejoe you might want to add, we'll do that, and then we'll close out our conversation this evening. So let's take a break, another song and
then we'll be back. Welcome back to Talking Point as we wrap up another wonderful conversation, informative conversation, educational conversation, and we're talking breast cancer awareness. Leavetta, thank you again for accepting the invitation to join us and very last minute as well, and for sharing your story. We wanted to ask to end, what advice would you give would you give someone who is going through what you've been through and what you are going through the journey of breast cancer.
The only advice I would say is, especially if you're a person who has strong faith, heap that m heat that even when you have family around, sometimes you know they can be overwhelming and they don't mean to be, but sometimes you just want to go off into a room or have some time to yourself, you know, some quiet time, and faith is a big part of that.
You know, what I have done, what I've started to do since years ago, was talk to God just as if he was right there in the room sitting next to me, and you know, just you know, tell him about my day or even if you're complain Yeah, just talk as if you know you have your best friend there. How you would talk to your best friend and over the phon annoying person. That's how I started to talk to God and I found that helped me so much. Another thing is accept the accept help.
Yeah.
You may you may think you know you don't want to inconvenience anybody, or you know you're a bit shy about it. But your friends and your family are there to support you and to help you out in whatever way they can. And one of those is to help you to accept it. You know you can, you can tell them no, of course, you know, or you know it's too much. But once the help is offered or
even given, accept it. Another thing is laugh as often as you can, Like Nicole said, laugh even if you have to find a funny video on YouTube or wherever to start it, you does just laugh. This is one of the big things me and my family do. We find a funny video, we share it, we laugh, We laugh as much as possible.
Mm hmm.
And that has, you know, you relieve stress, It relieves some of the pent up you know, anxiety you may have, and it helps you, you know, through your day to day.
H Yeah, love it.
And never said do you have a I love I love what you're saying in terms of speaking to God as if he's sitting.
Right next to you.
And I know I mentioned before that there are many, you know, texts in God's where that are there for encouragement. Do you have a particular favorite Bible text, or you have a song or anything that you kind of have found that you kind of go to, is your go to.
Form of support or anything.
I have.
I have many, but one of my one of my ones is trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your path. A love that, Yeah, and that has got me through
because I may not understand why. I was, you know, suddenly I have all of this because I was like, I have all of these problems already and now this additional thing, so you know, and I was like, as they say, in case the raster, whatever will be will be, the future is not mine to see.
Yeah, you've got such a positive attitude. It's it's amazing to see and to hear and to I mean, as you said, it's what's it is what has gotten you through this and it's just something to admire. It really is, and it's an inspiration to us all. Like you said, we may not know why, and our struggles will differ. It's not cancer for us all. It's not you know, a lot of job or a health situation even but we all have our struggles and to approach them with
that attitude I think will do us all good. Yeah, and just to piggyback on that, what what what support have you had from your church family? I have to shout out if Ilford Central Yes, very yeah, they have been amazing icy C. You know every type well every time they see me, you know, especially like the older folk, the older ladies, you know, oh you know you like, are you okay today?
You know this week? How was your week? Or they like, you know, they see me or they'll ask me, are you feeling okay? Because if I look like I'm tired? Some people tell me them do you need some tea? You see? Teas a bit thing everybody because mostly Caribbean, everybody like some tea color I have this, Some somebody has some kind of tea in their purse. So yeah,
they they have been great. I don't think everybody knows about my dad noticed, but those who do or are where that I've been ill from before, you know, they they're all every every time they see me or even if they have to send me a WhatsApp message ask me, you know you okay, You're doing good?
M hm, yes, love it. That's what we need to hear. That's what we like to hear, and our community is being there for us and being supportive in the ways that they they need to and not everybody, Not everybody has that, and not everybody gets support from a church community. But I mean, Angela, you're going to share with us some of the other networks and support groups out there for people who may not have the church family but
can find support. There's loads in the UK certainly, and I'm sure if you did a good Google search wherever you are listening, you'd be able to tap into two resources in your local area. But before we get there, Nicole, thank you, and our time is fast spent. But let us know what you're doing now. I know you're in DC, and I know it's a work venture and you're doing loans in this space. Tell us a little bit more about what you are doing currently, what's next for you,
and how people can leverage your resources. You spoke about a workbook earlier that certain people may want to get their hands on. How do people connect with you?
So how do people connect with us? We have a website and it's misprofit dot com, so it's msbr fit dot com worldwide. We can also be reached via WhatsApp because we also do virtual consultations, so we can be reached on WhatsApp and that is plus one eight six eight seven five five one four ninety six. We're also on all social media and if you Google us, you would find us, so it's easy for us to be found globally and online virtually.
What are we doing.
We are reimagining breast care, and it's because there have been so many strides that we have made over the years in creating and curating breast health and breast care solutions, particularly that empower women and girls. So some of the things we've done over the last few years since we spoke, we have created quite a few solutions that are more intervention based in terms of engaging conversations and again of
course removing some of the taboos our education programs. We've always been taking them into like corporate spaces and into grassroots community, so that hasn't stopped.
One of the things we just did.
Over the last few days over the weekend naturally, so like two days ago, was begin that reimagining of post surgical care for women, post mastectomy care, and we are going to be launching some new initiatives and new products that women can use. Most women that come to us might come for a bra or might come for a breast prost thesis. We do have lots of other solutions and interventions that we have over the years once we found a gap created for them, so we are about
to launch some of them. We are about to introduce a little bit of skin care into that domain, because sometimes women come to us after a referral from a dermatologist and it might have been because of another skin issue that may have presented itself. Our skin products are not going to be medically base, but they're going to be more in the area of aromatherapy and aromatic and natural products, so that it's not going to in any way cause any additional you know, skin trauma or anything
like that. But we found it was a necessity and we've been working on that since during the pandemic, during like twenty seventeen and then right throughout the entire lockdown, we were testing and trying out stuff. So we feel like that's the next thing that's going to happen. So you're not hearing it first, you're actually.
Hearing it first. This is an exclusion, but we are really reimagining.
The entire experience of the breast, from the first layer of clothing right through to the conversation about it, because we recognize that if we do not have those conversations with those who really have are having the first hand experience, the conversation is going to get lost in translation because those without the first hand experience are going to be giving secondhand information and diluting what that outcome is, and people will still be living in the fair we talked
about earlier, and in the lack of awareness that we spoke about earlier. And if I'm to leave this earth and leave a legacy, that legacy is going to be dignity with the first lay of clothing. And we have to remember something about breasts and the value that they play. It's literally in numerous places in the Bible, so we're not talking about something here that's arbitrarily being discussed. Breasts
are literally everywhere in the Bible. They've been mentioned more than ten times, and more than that, it's the food of the first form of food for the newborn child. So if we are to think of those two very important dialogues about breasts, we know that it is urgent. It is important. We cannot rely only on the health care provider. And I want to just shout out health care providers, doctors and surgeons, because I.
Compliment the work that they do.
I'm the next step after their move, removal, or any kind of surgical action. And so I am really really grateful because I see the immense work that they do. I see the successful surgeries. I see the happy families because they've had a good doctor. So I shout out, you know, we need to really give accolades to those who are in the care field, the clinical the clinical field, the clinicians, the surgeons, the nursing care staff, all of those people that make up that battery of care givers
of which I am one of them. And so in reimagining, we're also going to make their work easier or lighter, because remember, I see the patient after they have done the work. But what I want to do is when they go back for a review, I want them to feel that this patient has literally been now at a place of total recovery or total rehabilitation. And I'll give you a joke. The very Sheryl who was going on
her who was who has had the three adventures. When she was going on her trip after her first masstectomy, her doctor said, her surgeon said, I can't remember which breast I removed, And that was because and I'm not blowing my trumpet here, but that was because when we fit a woman for a breast prost thesis, we put
her in the right item. Not only should it show breasts that are symmetrical and even, but they should also give the woman that sense of comfort, ease, confidence, care, and it must not be too heavy, too light, too imposing on her posture because it is a medical item. So at the end of the day, what we want to do is by using the work that we do and the blessings that we have been given by God
to make women feel great. We want to advance that, elevate that, and make women understand, Okay, I'm doing a virtual consultation with you, but that does not mean that when I get my items, I'm not going to feel empowered.
And I'll give you one more story.
During the lockdown, a referral came all the way from LinkedIn from a woman who had a recommendation based on someone she knew, so it wasn't even a first hand recommendation. And inside of that recommendation, what happened was when I did the virtual consultation and ship the items over to the country where the person was and and I did the virtual refitting now to make sure that it fitted
well on everything. The next thing, she calls me and she says, you know, you have to come to our country because now as soon as the lockdown and over, we have to find a way to get you here, she said. But before that, I want to let you know that my aunt, who had a mastectomy twenty years ago, has been stuffing her bra with all kinds of things,
and we also want a prosthesis for her. So again, because of that confidence that I'd given to that one woman via a referral that came almost i will say randomly via LinkedIn, I was able to help another woman and by extension or community, by extension or family. So in reimagining the work that we're about to do, it's going to again advance the faith. It's going to advance the faith of a woman who believes in God already, believes in her surgeon's already, but Noel needs to believe in herself.
Yes, thank you, thank you, Nicole, Thank you for taking the time out. I know you've got a really busy schedule, but you've made the time and I can hear the passion in your voice for what you were doing, and I just wish God's blessing on you may enlarge your territory. And Jela, you said you've got some details for folks who may be in need of support here in the UK.
Yes, I mean there are lots of There are lots of organizations. There are general sort of cancer support agencies, so Cancer Research UK, but specific ones for breast cancer. It's against Breast Cancer Care, It's Breast Cancer.
Now, which is a big one. Again.
You can contact them by phone or find their website. There's also one called Copper Feel, which is an interesting one. It's a UK charity that provides information, advice and it provides awareness, especially amongst younger people again, and they have resources for teachers and educators as well, and they've got sort of a very good website there as well.
So definitely do have a look.
And also this is obviously you know, any kind of diagnosis of any illness is going to be stressful and maybe have an impact on your mental health. So if you do feel that you do need to support their therapeutics access therapeutics support as well. So while we have our own counseling service CCS Cornstone Counseling Service, you can give them a call or contact them or look at
their website too. You can connect with them on zero to zero seven seven two three eight zero five zero or you can find their website CCS Counseling dot org dot UK. So there are there are lots of organizations out there, so you know if you do have obviously you're working with your doctors and your GP. They can recommence certain ones, but you know, don't be afraid to reach out for help. It can be a really scary time, sential a lonely time if you don't have the support
around you. But there is support out there, so we do encourage you to access and ultimately, you know, we're putting our trust in God. And I want to sort of leave you with a couple of texts that I found that are always inspirational for me anyway, but definitely can offer some encouragement for anybody going through his journey. Is I forteen verse thirty one as a promise of renewal those that way to them the Lord will renew their strength. They should mount up with wings like eagles.
They should run and not be weary. They should walk and not faint. And similarly a promise of strength in Psalms eighteen, verse thirty nine, which says, well you equiptomy with strength for battle. You made those who rise against me sin unto me. So again it's a promise of strength and enabling you to kind of move forward, but.
Ultimately as well.
And this maybe is a little bit follow on from Levetta's text, but a promise of peace if you're feeling anxious about this journey. Philippines four, verse six or seven says, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. As your worries begin to pile up, you know, greet them,
but hand them over to God. They're not going to be your problem anymore. God's got you in his everlasting arms. So I want to leave that word of encouragement for you there.
Thank you so much, Anji, and just remember to have regular screenings and stay informed and be proactive about your health and encourage others to do so, be practical as well. That's so important. That's so important, he jo. You want to close with any final words and a prayer for us, please, a.
Lot of unpack a lot of information, good information, as I do like what Laura Leavetta said about giving information on how people can handle when one of their family members are diagnosed and how they can help them, because I think that's the very I think the importance of having that help, that support and that family you know, that help is very is very It's good for the
person that's going through the through the situation. And then with miss Nicole, you know, like I think one of you said it, you can just hear in her voice when she talks, like it's just oozing out of her pores and out of her skin and out of her whole body, how much it just how much it means to her. You could just hear it how much it means to her. So I can appreciate the transparency and
the authicity that she that she's coming off with. So yeah, and well, one last thing, because we've been talking about the women, I'm gonna end it with the men. And that's just any man listening or any woman that has a man that they may you know, want to go check you know, check your men too. And it's the same toke. It just applies to the men too that they will go and make sure because as Nicole said,
that is definitely something that we don't talk about. So you know, we need to the men need to get checked, make sure everything's okay, because I'm sure a lot of men. I know myself, I want to be there for my kids for a long time. That's why I stopped having kids at a certain time, so that I could at least see them grow up, you know, at a certain age. I just felt like if I went too long having kids at fifty and then having a kid, I want
to see the kid grow up, you know. I mean, you don't know when it's going to happen, but just it just made sense to me. But you know, you want to be there for your family. So if you want to be there for your family, got to be there for yourself. Nobody's going to take care of your health like you can if you're not, if nobody else cares about your health, you should be the one that cares about your health because you know, unfortunately, you know,
it's just the way it is. So if you're a mail and you feel something or you feel like something don't feel right, please go get checked and use some of the resources and don't be ashamed because it happens to us too. That'd be the main. Don't let your probably get and get in fun of you where you don't go get checked. So that would be my message to the men. I said, so, yeah, so, and that we break all right. Oh, by the way, thank you miss Levetta, and thank you miss Nicole for coming on today.
Have any fun out will thank you for bringing us to another talking point the end of a talking point. We thank you Lord for the information that has been given to us and the acknowledgment and the understanding that we now have and that will allow us to go and investigate more and ask more questions and ask more ideas of what can be done to help support or help each other through this time and through the time that people are going through with this disease. We thank
you Lord for the love that you've given us. And we say so say Lord that in the end we know that when you come back there will be no more cancer, there will be no more sickness, There'll be no more disease. So we look forward to that day. Have any Father, We ask that you will continue to just bless us, be with us, each and every one of us, and allow us to give us the strength that we need to make it through the day. We love you, Lord. Let me thank you again for your
love and your mercy. We also ask a Lord of the family members will have the knowledge and the strength to help those that are in need, or even just the healthcare workers and the doctors and the nurses and whoever is dealing with this terrible disease, give them the understanding and the compasion and understanding to help and to heal and to help people to navigate through this time. We thank you Lord again for your loving and mercy, for the uppering your holy name.
Amen, Amen, Amen, thank you again. The butler, I'll let you go off and get to bed now, thank you so much. And Nicole, thank you as well. And if anybody needs additional information, please contact the station. I will be sure to share that with you. Until next time, It's goodbye from me. Senya.
I went for the click. I'm doing it with a click. You can see already. I went for the click, and it's goodbye for Piedro.
God bless the Next Time.
Adventist Radio, London inspiration for the song