Surviving breast cancer

Maria Eugenia Tapia has survived breast cancer for five years. She discovered she had a lump on her
breast, so she went to get a mammogram, but nothing showed up in the test. And yet, the cancer was
quietly growing. She was living in Omaha when she noticed the bigger mass – it was a malignant tumor.
She underwent surgery, then radiotherapy, and then chemotherapy.
“When they told me I had cancer, I immediately thought I was going to die, because I always figured that
cancer equaled death,” said Maria Eugenia, as she shared her story with El Perico’s readers.
According to experts, when a woman is diagnosed with cancer, a flurry of questions passes through her
head. Along with having to face an illness that generates a wide range of emotions, her perspective on
life radically changes.
“I’m a single mother, and it was a hard blow, to think that my daughter would be left alone in this country
because all of my family was in Mexico. However, the strength she gave me was crucial for me to keep
on fighting until I could recover,” she said.
Irene Tapia, Maria’s daughter, said she was very concerned when she learned there was a history of
cancer in her family. “My grandmother had breast cancer when she was 65 years old. Back then it was
hard to treat, and she had to undergo a radical surgery that left her very depressed, leading it to her
death. She simply let herself die, emotionally. My mother’s case was less intense, and she was able to
have access to reconstructive surgery right away.”
Maria Eugenia now knows she is not going to die, but she is worried that her body is exposed to once
again suffering from this illness at any moment.
“Feeling this helpless is very depressing, and even though my daughter and I now know that there are
many new medications and that Omaha has excellent hospitals for treatment, I’m still frightened by
chemotherapy.”
Her message to women with breast cancer is that they must be informed of the illness, to know exactly
what their diagnoses are and what are their odds of making a full recovery. It is important to ask all
pertinent questions so that they have all the information they need. This is a life-changing situation, and it
completely changes a person’s perspective on things. If cancer is detected early on, it can be cured.
People must not be scared of going to the doctor. Everyone knows when something is not right with their
body. Fear paralyzes us. She was able to carry on with her life. She worked as usual, and in her mind,
there was always the phrase “I must continue moving forward.”
According to the American Cancer Association, one in every eight women in the United States
(approximately 12.4%), will develop invasive breast cancer in her life. In fact, it is expected that in 2018
266,120 new cases are diagnosed.
“Be careful! Latinas are more susceptible to dying of breast cancer,” warned Greenwood, ARNP at the
University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Breast cancer is currently the main cause of death among
Latinas, in part because many don’t know the healthcare system in the United States or because they
don’t’ speak English.”
Maria Eugenia has gotten back to her normal life without any issues: “Time goes on, and things return to
normal, even though you’re never the same on the inside because you know it can show up again. And
although I don’t let that keep me from moving forward, it does make live life in full, as I try to help other
people,” she said.
She now runs a support group for women with breast-related illnesses, raising awareness of these issues
by way of programs so that they can learn how to detect cancer early on, “because we can’t avoid the fact
that this illness affects many women, but if it’s detected early on, it can be cured. Women must be alert to
any symptoms and must check their breasts from the moment they develop. Cancer can’t be prevented,
but it can be detected early,” she explained.
She, along with her daughter and a group of 7 women volunteers, play a crucial role. They call people
who have been diagnosed because they usually have many questions, feel sad and have other issues, s
they offer their support. They also support them during chemotherapy since they’ve already been through
the process.
When someone has already gone through the process, they can better help other people. Because of this
Maria can give them new hope, knowing that each patient will have a rough year during the treatment.
The issue is that diagnosed Latinas are 20% more likely to die from this illness in comparison to
Caucasian women since it is more likely they will become aware of the breast cancer when the tumor is
considerably larger.
Doctor Greenwood, Maria Eugenia, and her daughter state that Latinas must be informed on this issue so
that they can get tested as early as possible as well as to dissipate some of the myths on breast cancer,
all in hopes of a better outcome.