Share Your Story: Meet LaShunda

Meet LaShunda and read about her breast cancer journey filled with love and positivity!

What type of Breast Cancer do/did you have?

Stage 3 HER2 Positive

Is your breast cancer in remission? If yes, when did you go into remission?

No

When were you diagnosed and at what age? Can you tell us a little about how you found out and the stage?

45. I found my lump by doing a self breast exam one morning while laying in bed.

What were your thoughts?

When I felt the mass in my left breast, I was kinda scared but having had cancer before it was just a feeling I had and knew what was about to happen once I thought about what I had found. After reading about the rashes I had on my breast over the past month I knew what to expect next.

Can you tell us about your treatment and how that has gone? Were there any obstacles and how did you overcome them?

My treatment was ok at first but, it has changed because of the emergency room visits, the lack of being able to eat, low potassium, heart issues. I've fought hard to get to where I am. I am on my last treatment starting tomorrow 11/29/2018 and I'm very excited to get this part over with and excited that I get to ring the bell once I'm done with infusion tomorrow. This journey has been one I didn't think I'd make it through because towards the end depression set in but I fought to go to work everyday, be around my students even when I shouldn't have been but my students are and were my motivation to fight for my life plus my great niece was born and she gives me love, smiles and hugs that made chemotherapy manageable.

Do you have children? If yes, how did your journey affect your children?

I have two beautiful children. My children have been a blessing to me and have helped me so much and without them this would've been so hard.

What has been the most helpful for you in the support you have received from family and friends? If any support.

The helpful things have been the encouraging words, prayers, unexpected surprises, the little happies from my students, the parents and staff at work. My dad and his wife helped with getting to chemo with the small donations for gas.

What message do you have for those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer?

Breast cancer is something you have, it doesn't define who you are and what happens with you. You can't give up or give in to what is happening to you. Yea, you're gonna have good days and bad days but you can make it through this just trust yourself, love yourself, smile a lot, watch happy things on tv, listen to positive music that relaxes you and makes you dance, remove negativity from your life and take each day given to you and tell God thank you.

What would you like to see for breast cancer patients in the future? How can the world help relieve the stress of diagnoses to remission?

I would like to see better treatments, more outreach and community help for patients in small towns and cities. Embrace people dealing with stress and just listen and not always speak. Embrace the things they are going through and help to love the changes their bodies and mind will go through .

Anything else you want to add? We'd love to learn more about you.

If you find something you love to do while going through this like work, painting, being with family, friends do it. If there are places you wanna go just do it and enjoy the people you are around.

Thank you LaShunda for sharing your story!