Thirteen years ago today (4th October,2012) , I threw Bertha’s Pink Party online. 🥳🎀 I invited all my Facebook friends to wear pink to raise awareness for breast cancer. At the time, I never imagined I’d one day become part of the very statistic I was raising awareness for.
In November 2021, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
Since then, life has been a whirlwind of 4 surgeries, 7 rounds of chemotherapy, 50+ blood tests, and nearly 20 scans.
I even fought COVID’s delta strain in the middle of it all.
But today (4th October), on my birthday, I sit in remission—grateful for the gift of life and holding onto the hope of reaching “NED” (No Evidence of Disease) before this year ends.
What I’ve learned through this journey is simple, but powerful:
✨ Early detection saves lives. The moment I felt a lump, I didn’t wait. I saw a doctor the very next day. That decision changed everything.
✨ Don’t put off getting checked. It’s scary, yes. But avoiding the doctor is far scarier. Be bold enough to seek help—immediately.
✨ Your mindset matters. Treatment is hard. Working full-time while traveling for chemo, dealing with surgeries, scans, and isolation was no small feat. But a positive outlook was the anchor that carried me through.
✨ Lean on your people. Survivors don’t walk this road alone. I had support systems I could lean on, and I’ll forever be grateful for them.
Every survivor’s path looks different, but I share mine to remind you: it can be done. Celebrate life, take nothing for granted, and never ignore the signs your body gives you.
Today, I celebrate another birthday with gratitude—and with a pink ribbon tied to the hope that someone reading this will take their health seriously and book that appointment they’ve been putting off.
You can read Bertha’s story and testimony she shared during the PNG Cancer Foundation SistaLounge Event back in March and her speech
