Yakima the Pink Lymphediva Warrior

Share some information about yourself prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer…

I was a 31 year old thriving young professional at the peak of my full time career at VF Corporation managing both Nautica and Kipling Handbag brands and moving and shaking as a promotional model at night within the wine and spirits industry! My love for life, family, and friends always shined through! In addition, my fight against breast cancer was very prevalent due to losing a mother to breast cancer at the age of 13. Even though her flesh was gone her soul and story were not, as it lived through me.

How did you learn about your diagnoses?

It's interesting because I've been getting mammograms since I was 27 with my first lumpectomy at 27, which was benign, but in 2012 at 31 years old, I realized I did not receive a mammogram during all of 2011, so I immediately scheduled one. During the process, the nurses and techs moved very suspiciously and told me they wanted to do a biopsy, I'm like hmmm, ok, then during the biopsy they kept coming back and forth in the room, I knew something was up, I immediately called my SC mom (my cousin in South Carolina who became my guardian after my mom passed) and told her it's not looking good, but would give her a call back. Roughly 2 weeks later I received a call from my family physician, she spoke to me as if I had known already, but I said what are you talking about, so that triggered her to say OMG they didn't tell you, I'm like tell me what, your biopsy was positive and you have breast cancer. I remember the day so vividly, it was a Monday, April 16, 2012, I was working from home. At that moment, I would never be the same girl I was on April 15, 2012. My life had forever changed. I was Stage 3, Triple Negative.

What type of treatment did you receive?

I opted to obtain a double mastectomy due to having a family history, my age, and being BRCA positive, well I'm actually BRCA negative and BART positive (freak child to my oncologists because BART is found in Jewish women, guess somewhere along the way there's some Jewish lineage). Followed by 15 (I think) rounds of chemotherapy, I started with every other week dosages meaning only 8 treatments, but then caught an allergic reaction on the 5th round so I had to go to weekly and my 1 Bi-Weekly was either 2 or 3 weeklys so I had to go longer. Chemo was followed by 28 Radiation Treatments, then I had a DIEP FLAP Reconstruction, Nipple Reconstruction, and Liposuction/Fat Grafting where you get cleaned up through lipo after your DIEP FLAP and the fat removed is placed into your new breast.

How is life now as a breast cancer survivor?

Life now as a breast cancer survivor has had it's ups and downs, but overall I'm truly blessed. I acquired Lymphedema, which many breast cancer patients are prone to acquire. Lymphedema is

a chronic swelling condition that arrives when you've had obstruction to your lymphatic system. I had 11 lymphnodes removed with 1 being cancerous. Its really just the luck of the draw, some get it, some don't! I've been awarded so many opportunities from this cancer diagnosis (media interviews, appearances, motivational speaking, etc.). I even began mentoring other young patients and helping them through their diagnosis, under the platform Gardenia's Angels (which is named after my mother). I don't talk about it much because I'm humble and it simply feeds my soul to help others. I even distribute gift bags to patients being treated at my cancer center and specifically on my floor at my old infusion suite. One of my most beloved accomplishments is being a part of a book series started by the organization, Traci's BIO based in Philadelphia, PA; The Pink Sister Chronicles 3: It Takes A Village, which launched Oct. 2017. It's a compilation of several women sharing their journeys with cancer. I am so proud to say I am an author and have been given the opportunity to share MY STORY, MY JOURNEY with cancer! To date, I still continue to battle with my depression, which didn't really come until after my surgeries and treatment were complete, but I am trying really hard to climb out of the dark and into the light. I often say we teahc people how to fight during their cancer, but not how to live life after the treatment and surgeries are complete. You see depression isn't just sitting in a dark room or laying in bed all day everyday, depression can be a girl like me who gets up everyday for work, fuels her passion and helps others in the fight, shows up to family and friends' functions, smiles and laughs, attends events, but yet comes home feeling lonely and unmotivated to seek her true heart's desires. I'm that girl, but I try to push forward everyday no matter how I'm feeling because I truly don't want to be "that girl", but instead, Yakima a thriving Pink Lymphediva Warrior ready to conquer the world.

Advice or words of encouragement you would like to share with the breast cancer community.

Let go and let God, strengthen your faith, don't try to control the entire journey because you'll drive yourself insane and most of all shine bright like a diamond and LIVE LIFE, because cancer may have taken your hair, breast, and/or weight, but it can never steal your joy, soul, or smile!

If you have a business or brand that caters to the breast cancer community please share and include all links and social media platforms allowing others to connect with you! Again, I appreciate you taking the time to participate and look forward to reading and sharing your story!

Thank you for the opportunity to share a piece of my story, my brands/businesses that cater to the breast cancer community are not fully flourished, but feel free to route people to my IG page: @iamyakima