When doctors told Romaine Moncrieffe in 2014 that his mother would not survive stage four breast cancer, he faced the unimaginable. Unfortunately for him, the prospect of losing his mother became a reality that the 30-year-old Jamaican re-lives every year in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Though his painful past still lingers, Moncrieffe said the recollection of his mother’s agony has propelled him to become a strong advocate for breast cancer awareness and encourages others to support breast cancer patients.
Moncrieffe, the third of four children, expressed the hope that no one will experience the pain he and his siblings felt when they had to take care of their ailing mother.
“My sisters were not as strong as me, but all of us were in a state of stress, we were very concerned, but we had to do whatever it took to be there for our mom and support her emotionally. It was very stressful to see a loved one go through so much. I don’t want anyone to experience what we did,” he said in a brittle voice.
He shared that early signs of his mother’s illness could have been detected, but doctors were not concerned about his mother’s mammogram results.
“When she did the first mammogram, she was in Cayman at the time and they (doctors) saw something, but they said what they saw wasn’t concerning,” he shared.
While it was not alarming to medical experts, Romaine Moncrieffe, who remained concerned, sought additional medical treatment for his mother when she arrived in Jamaica, as she became severely ill and started experiencing symptoms of the disease.
“She experienced excruciating pain, shortness of breath, and was unable to digest her food. Because she was so ill, we carried her to another doctor. She was then referred to another hospital, and that’s where they did a biopsy. After that, she went to Jamaica Cancer Society and got the diagnosis,” he said.
He revealed that the stage four diagnosis resulted in doctors performing a mastectomy of his mother’s left breast. However, it was too late as the cancer had already spread to other organs.
Although he tried to believe there was still hope, Moncrieffe’s mother died three months later, leaving him and his family in despair.
“We were devastated, heartbroken, hopeless, and extremely sad. It’s the worst experience I have ever had and even now the thought of her hurts,” Romaine Moncrieffe said tearfully.
These experiences enable him to advise women to seek early medical attention for any sign of breast cancer so they might have a high-quality life.
“I try my best to encourage women to get their checks done because breast cancer is nothing to take lightly, and many women are not getting checked early for signs,” he said.
He also shared that he not only raises awareness about breast cancer but participates in major fundraising events in Jamaica such as the ICWI Pink Run, which is organized by Running Events Jamaica. He participates in activities not only to support Jamaican women but also to honor his mother.
“Each year Jamaica has a Pink Run and I contribute by participating in the activity, but the run for me is more than showing my support, I’m doing it for my mom,” he said proudly.
His zeal for becoming a supporter of breast cancer awareness is also apparent at work. While some men dislike pink, Moncrieffe happily wears it throughout October and takes part in adorning his department in pink.
“At work, I assist my department in decorating the place pink. Also, my colleagues and I wear pink clothes to work in addition to the pink ribbon every year. That’s just one of the many ways I show my support.”
In addition to repping the color, Moncrieffe, who enjoys graphic design, considers it his responsibility to curate information and distribute it on various social media platforms to educate people about the signs and symptoms of the debilitating illness.
“I normally create graphic designs to make a few posts to spread the word and messages on social media. I am very passionate about helping to educate people about breast cancer.”
He noted that, while women must take serious steps to avoid or treat breast cancer, men must be strong advocates for the women in their lives who may be affected by the disease.
“Everyone has a mother, sister, or aunt; some may have a girlfriend or wife. We as men need to be there for them and look after our female loved ones. One way to do that is to encourage all female friends and family members to do the necessary checkups for any little signs. It can go beyond breast cancer, whatever it may be, just look after them and be the caretakers in their lives.”
Recounting the roles he and his family played in the latter stages of his mother’s life, Romaine Moncrieffe is encouraging both Jamaican men and women to stand in the gap for breast cancer patients and support them in their time of difficulty.
