October is recognised worldwide as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but what does this really means?
Do we just wear a pretty pink bow or run/walk in a 5K and by November we move on with our respective lives? Do we truly stop to think of those whose lives it has impacted? How did a diagnosis of the big ‘C’ transform their very existence and what do they wish they knew then that they know now?
Mortality statistics published in the West Indian Medical Journal of June 2002 indicated that almost 300 women died in 1999 of breast cancer. That is 300 mothers, daughters, sisters, best friends and productive workers who made a valuable contribution to this nation. Despite public appeal for regular check-up and a healthier lifestyle, this scourge is not easing up as it continues to affect women (and men!) from all walks of life, ethnic background and social status. Five years after this report some 720 additional women were diagnosed. To say the battle is still raging would be an understatement.
Yet with all these alarming statistics, there is hope, healing and a wholistic approach that many use to making every day count. There are several incredible stories of survival. One such is that of Carlene Davis, minister, mother, wife, gospel artiste and Christian who has walked the path into a tunnel of uncertainty and emerged not only stronger but with a renewed faith strengthened by the very experience that could have broken her both physically and spiritually. This is her journey.
Ironically it was during breast cancer awareness month some nineteen years ago that she was first diagnosed. It was in the midst of a beautiful epoch in her life as Carlene had married the love of her life Tommy Cowan the previous year and the couple who had known each others for more than a decade previously, were enjoying their newlywed period of marital bliss when one day Tommy’s exploration of his wife’s body led him to realise that she has a lump in her breast.
“I believe it was stage 2, going into stage 3. Tommy found it while caressing me so it is almost a love story of sorts. We were on tour in California and we came right back and went to my gynaecologist. They injected me and pulled fluid from the area and later it was confirmed as breast cancer and within a week, I was in the hospital. We did not hesitate to treat it.”
For Carlene, her life “flipped” as she put it at that point and but instead of falling to pieces, she sort to focus on her spiritual development in the midst of what was happening in her body. “I had basically just gotten married and now this occurred so I knew it was the devil testing me and I wasn’t going to let him divide us.”
The first order of business was to inform their children. “When we got the diagnosis it was like ‘how do we tell my children and step children who are older’. It was a difficult task. Tommy told me that he drove around Kingston for hours when he went to pick up the results because he didn’t even know how to break the news to me.”
“My husband was always there for me. The king is suppose to
understand how to ‘handle’ his queen. I don’t have a problem so I say props to my king. We are still
passionate.
To continue reading, purchase Vol.8 #2, 2015 Issue.