By Olinka Rubadiri Yancey

My name is Olinka and I was 37years old when I found a lump in my left breast.  I could remember that moment like it was yesterday.  June 9th 2007 my husband Damon had taken me on a trip to San Diego to celebrate my birthday.  I was lying down on the bed as having a conversation with him when I touched my breast and felt a huge knot.  The size of the knot was extremely alarming compared to the size of my other breast.  Damon proceeded to ask me when I had last examined myself and how once we get back home we need to contact my health care physician and get this examined.  In fact I had been to see my physician in March for my yearly physical and she examined my entire body and found no signs of growth or changes in both my breasts.  Believe it or not, I felt no pain in that breast nor noticed the difference in size until I closely looked at them in the mirror.

June 11th I contacted my physician and advised her that I URGENTLY needed to come and see her to get my breasts examined.  She quickly scheduled me in that afternoon and was very shocked to feel how large the knot was.  She ordered an immediate mammogram examination which is a tool that helps to detect breast cancer.  I began to panic and contemplated sharing my findings with my family at that time however I did not want to alarm anyone due to the fact that we were still in the preliminary stages.  June 14th, Damon and I went to the Polak Breast Diagnostic Center at the Torrance Memorial Med. Center for the mammogram exam.  After the exam, the radiologist studied the x-ray films and immediately ordered that we return back after lunch for her to perform a biopsy of the breast and the lymph nodes. Damon and I left for lunch and sat in silence just trying to understand what all this meant.  We returned back to the hospital, and while she was performing the biopsy, something inside of me just couldn’t ignore the reality of what I was going through.  I closed my eyes and prayed to God to hold my hand and allow me to deal with what was to follow.  The radiologist advised us that we should return on Monday June 18th for the results.  Damon and I left the examination room in tears cause it was like reality was beginning to set in.  I called my Aunty Maria and my brother Lunga and shared with then what was going on and they immediately rushed to hold our hands through what we were about to encounter.

On Monday morning we met with an Oncologist who shared with us that I had Stage IIIA Breast Cancer which had spread to my lymph nodes and due to the size of my tumor we needed to begin treatment as soon as possible to avoid the disease to spread further. “Shock! Shock! Shock!” We sat, hugged each other and cried for a moment in disbelief as to what we had just heard but that was the reality for it all.  We were also advised to take all the x-rays/biopsy/mammogram results and get at least 3 more opinion from other certified Oncologists.  We left the Breast Center, had a good lunch at “El Toritos” and at that point I had made up mind that I was ready to fight for my life.  As Damon lay asleep that night I began to read the material the doctors gave me about my illness, which was the beginning stage of educating my self.  I thought about my family and friends and how they were going to take the news especially the fact that most of them were far away from me in Uganda and spread out all over this universe.  I learned that cancer had to be hard on those who loved me than it was on me.  I prayed to God that night and asked him to guide me through this and give me the strength to hold their hands as we started a new chapter in my life.  I drafted an email to them and gave them a run down of what I had been through…..Breast Cancer 101.   I shared my story with my church family at First AME in Los Angeles as well as the choir members which understandably were distort about the news however we all know that we serve a healing and merciful God who wouldn’t forsake us.  One of the members in my choir has a mother that went through the same ordeal and she totally understood what we were going to go through.  She introduced me to the Oncology doctor who treated her mother Dr. James Waisman from BreastLink medical group who I met with in the beginning of July and shared my story with him.  He was very comforting, the nurses at his office were extremely friendly and helpful and after meeting with him, I choose him to treat me and get me all better.  Before I began treatment I sat my 3 kids down and explained what Cancer meant and what kind of treatments I was going to receive and what they should expect as far side effects.  I bought them some books for children that tell stories about what Cancer is so that they also wouldn’t get afraid because as we all know we hear Cancer and immediately think that it’s a death sentence.

I began my chemo therapy the second week of July while my dear mother was preparing to come to the US and take care of me.  “What would we do without our mothers” man she was a life saver.  I was to receive 6 cycles (Once every 3weeks) doses of Carboplatin, Taxotere and Herceptin.  Lunga and my girlfriend Tanya took me to my first session which was very scary because I didn’t know what to expect.  I sat in the infusion room expecting to be taken out on a stretcher or even get admitted right away, just so many things were going through my mind however it wasn’t that bad but little did I know that in 2days that’s when the side effects kick in.  (That’s a story on its own for a later date).  Mummy finally came and along with Lunga, my cousin Susan and my sistah for life Trisha they all took great care of me.  They took me to my chemo sessions, doctor visits, blood transfusions, sat up at night with me during the painful nights, and cried with me coz the pain was unbearable the list could go on.  During the 6months of treatment friends from all corners of the world called to offer their support and prayers and sent cards and flowers encouraging and all praying for my healing.  I chose to work and lead a normal life because I knew that I would beat the disease.  I never missed a Sunday singing with my choir and as the days/months went by I knew God heard our cries for a miraculous healing.

The greatest news Dr. Waisman gave me during my chemo sessions is that the tumor had shrunk tremendously which was a sign that the medication was working.  In January 2008 I under went surgery to remove the tumor as well as the infected lymph nodes.  My surgeon Dr. Carey Cullinane performed the surgery and advised that after they biopsy the tissue she removed that she would call me in a couple of days with the results.  I had already claimed victory so I knew what she would tell me…. ! That’s how powerful God works…….keep the faith and know that he will do as you ask in his own time.  She called me and told me that the tissue was cancer free and that in about 2months I could begin radiation which was the final stage of treatment.  Dr. Simko treated me for 6 consecutive weeks while I still met with Dr. Waisman and Dr. Cullinane for regular check ups.  In July I had my first mammogram to finally find out if I am disease free and indeed I am in remission.

For those that read my testimony, please always remember to encourage anyone that you know with the disease.  For those that read my testimony and are going through the illness keep you spirits up, it’s not the end of the world.  This might sound cliché but we have a lot of power that God has given us to endure anything if only we trust in his word and his power to heal us from any and all battles we face.  I remind you that every single day is a gift God has given us live it like it was your last, love your family and friends and I thank you all that held my hand through this chapter in my life.

Aunty Phillipa, you are an amazing woman and together we shall spread the word and support our sisters around the world.

I dedicate this to my loving mother, Janet Shalita………………….you are my inspiration.

Find out more about Olinka’s charity work at http://breastcancerafrica.org/

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