Two-time breast cancer survivor shares journey of hope, healing

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of early detection and to recognize the women who are navigating a breast cancer diagnosis and also life after treatment. So the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 321,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the U.S. this year. But behind every one of those numbers is a woman with her own story and her own challenges to face. Ratna Tripathi knows that journey. She's a two-time cancer survivor and also a member of the HERS Foundation Board. Thank you so much, Ratna, for being here. And Tina Fernandez is the executive director of the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation that really supports breast cancer patients throughout this journey. So thank you both for being here. Ratna, I want you to take me back to your first diagnosis, because as I mentioned, you are a two-time cancer survivor. What was that like for you, and what went through your mind when you first heard that you had cancer? So I'll take a step back. So I was 38 years old, no family history, pretty good in health condition and no smoking, no drinking, fully vegetarian. So I was definitely not one of those, you know, where you have family history, so you expect and you're constantly checking yourself and asking your doctor to do mammograms and all. So it was 2011, the first time I felt something. There was a lump in my left armpit and it was a little bit painful. So I asked my doctor and she decided to do a mammogram. And unfortunately, the mammogram, because of, you know, younger women have dense breast tissue, it did not detect, you know, diagnosed my tumor. So six months after, I felt something on my own. And, you know, we say you should listen to your body. And I kept thinking that there was something wrong with me. And that's how I found the first time the tumor. I went to my doctor. She repeated the test all over again. And this time it was confirmed that it was, you know, malignant tumor. um you know the the emotion you go through within five minutes it feels like somebody has just put a expiration date on your forehead right um you go through all sorts of you know emotions uh you're scared um of course fear of death definitely cancer that is something every person like the minute they hear the word cancer they feel that that can happen to them um i was angry. Why me? Right. I was sad because I had a 10 year old child and I was like, I'm supposed to live. I'm supposed to see him graduate from high school, college, see him get married. I should not be going through this. So it's like, you know, all types of emotion that you go through in that, you know, the time, like within five minutes, I had thought of everything that can go wrong and uh it was it was tough i i i can imagine but here you are now fast forward um now cancer free for a few years after that second diagnosis but it was along this journey that you encountered the Hers Foundation um a lot of people think about you know the treatment that you go through but to cure you of cancer but there are other things that right helped to make you whole again how did you come across Hers and what was what were the resources that you found there that helped you yeah absolutely i mean you go through chemotherapy all those treatment but after that there is a lot of other things that you have to think about um one of the things that you know um i was working in a leadership role in you know in corporate america and of course you know you um are in front of people you have to face them every day and going back to work when you have just gone through the treatment and you don't have hair you've lost your hair so going back you know I needed I was not confident a friend of mine suggested I should go to her store in Washington Hospital and and and see if I can find a wig and that was my first time going to the store I landed up also getting you know a compression sleeve which when you're traveling that's doctor's advice. And seeing the support that I got in that, you know, this little store we had there from everyone, it was just amazing. And I definitely decided that once I get through this whole process, I am going to definitely find time to get back to and give back to community and people who had, you know, supported me so much. And that's why you're now on the board of the Hers Foundation. Tina, talk about the resources that you offer and just who is eligible. So we provide a very specific set of products for patients after they've had surgery or they're going through treatment. So we have compression garments for patients who have breast cancer related lymphedema, which is swelling, and that can be in the chest, the back, arms and hands, wigs, as Ronna just shared. Patients appreciate being able to receive wigs. And then breast prosthetics and um pocketed bras yeah and so the products that we provide a lot of patients say you know it helped me uh feel whole again and so for patients that's just as Ronna has said you know working and you know um having to go back to work not you know having lost their hair um we're there for patients um and we are just a very compassionate team of professionals professionally trained individuals and we just make sure that patients look and feel their best and um and that their health is managed too. Yeah. How important is it for survivors to know that, you know, they're not alone and that you at HERS are there to help them? And then what comes next? Yeah, it's just tremendous. Patients, just as Ronna has said, you know, she was angry. She was, you know, had worries and anxiety. And we are absolutely there for patients. Lots of compassion, especially for new patients. An appointment can take quite some time because there are tears in in the fitting room and we just help see them through that and we're just there for them. Yeah, it really is great. I've been working with the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation trying to help spread the word for several years. I've met many people within the group and Ronna, I'm such a pleasure to know that you are now part of this. And if you at home would like to donate to the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So if you are feeling so inclined, be sure to go to the hersbreastcancerfoundation.org for more information. Tina, always a pleasure. Ronna, thank you so much for sharing your personal story. Really appreciate it. And a reminder, women, listen to your body and go get those mammograms.