“Life over breast: as long as I am alive to take care of my daughter, I am fine.” This was the response of 41-year-old Charlene Chevannes-Chambers when doctors asked her which treatment she wanted to do following her breast cancer diagnosis. Determined to defy the odds, the buoyant, yet fearless fighter was resolved to survive the disease for her five-year-old daughter.
The Jamaican who grew up in St. Ann was formally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 after exhibiting early signs of the disease in 2017.
Though her family does not have a history of the disease, Charlene shared that as a teenager, she struggled with hormonal issues including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
She was also born with inverted nipples, which can be a sign of breast cancer. However, she said it was common in her family and was not a significant concern for her.
While the appearance of her nipples was normal to her, she began to detect changes in her left breast after giving birth to her daughter in 2017. She could not produce milk to breastfeed, and her left breast became “hard and lumpy,” as she describes it.
“I went to my six weeks checkup after giving birth and we determined that no milk was coming. However, I told the doctor that I was concerned about the lump in my breast, and he said he doesn’t think it was anything major,” she said.
Worried about what might be wrong, Charlene requested a mammogram and an ultrasound just to be on the safe side. She said doctors found an area of concern in her breast during the mammography and based on the ultrasound results, it was determined that a lymph node had been discovered in her breast.
Charlene wanted a solution to the problem but was told there is no prescribed treatment.
Though she was still worried, she opted to ignore the lump since it was not alarming to medical experts. However, she later observed that the lump had become larger and that she was experiencing changes to the texture of her breast, spreading of her areola, and breast discomfort.
“I could visibly see the lump when I looked in the mirror. You could see the change in the size of my two breasts. One breast was bigger than the other. I also had shooting pains in my breast, especially around my period time,” she recalled.
While seeking further medical assistance, she began to have a discharge from her left breast every month, generally during or before her menstruation. She also recalled the discharge becoming bloody.
After several doctor visits and examinations, one of which was an MRI; a true-cut biopsy was done on Charlene’s left breast which confirmed that she had Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS).
According to the Mayo Clinic, this is the earliest form of breast cancer and is noninvasive. This means it has not migrated outside of the milk duct and has a minimal risk of spreading to other parts of the body.
After telling her family and friends about the diagnosis, her brother, a nurse in the United States, encouraged her to seek treatment there so he could support her throughout her battle.
Despite being told that only one of her breasts had cancer, Charlene had both breasts removed on January 11, 2022.
After the surgery, she was informed that she had DCIS in one area of the left breast, however in another area of the same breast was extensive invasive ductal carcinoma, stage one breast cancer. It was then that Charlene knew she made the right decision in seeking early medical attention.
“The pathologist explained to me that invasive carcinoma is a cancer that spreads rapidly. So, I said to her, did I make the right choice in taking both breasts? and she said yes, that was the best decision to have been made at that moment and I said thank you, Jesus,” she recounted happily.
Her decision to have a bilateral mastectomy not only prevented the cancer from spreading to the other breast but also allowed her to avoid chemotherapy and radiation.
She is currently receiving treatment overseas and is being monitored for the recurrence of cancer in other parts of her body.
Though it took her years for her breakthrough, the jaunty Jamaican who is to undergo surgery to reconstruct her breasts, said she is grateful for the outcome, adding that she is happy and confident in her “select-a-size breasts.”
“Right now, I should be doing reconstruction, and maybe I will, but right now, I am having fun with my select-a-size breasts,” she said as she laughed.
The light-hearted survivor added: “I have some lovely prosthesis that looks very real. If I want to walk out the house with a double D or triple D breast, I can, and if tomorrow I feel like going without breasts, I go without.”
Charlene, who underwent three breast ultrasounds, three mammograms, two chest x-rays, and one breast MRI between 2017 and 2020, is now celebrating life and is grateful to her friends and family for their support.
“I’m just celebrating my life, my time, my family. It’s like I am on a euphoric high because I know I wasn’t crazy, and I got something done about it.”
She shared that throughout the emotionally challenging process, she remained strong by reading inspirational stories, strengthening her mind through meditation, and listening to uplifting music.
Listening to the stories of other breast cancer survivors was also important in keeping her optimistic, as other fighters stressed the value of having a strong mental state.
Because of this, Charlene advises other breast cancer patients to do whatever it takes to remain mentally stable through their challenging times.
She also encourages them not to compare their breast cancer journey to that of others, but to fight their battle their way.
“Your journey is your journey. Do not compare your journey to others because comparison is the thief of joy,” she said.
Charlene Chevannes-Chambers who was determined to win her battle said her greatest joy is being alive and with her daughter. Instead of letting her fight with breast cancer define who she is today, the courageous survivor shaped her experience.
“I shape my journey; it’s not my journey shaping me. I had to take control because I have a daughter and she needs her mother.”
