Life Is Never the Same After Breast Cancer – Trailer – Transcript

If breast cancer survivors don’t have a perfect post-remission life, maybe that’s okay.

By Pamela Appea

Description:

PA: Women who have had breast cancer who are now in remission may feel fine, glad to declare they are cancer-free. But here’s what people don’t talk about—when individuals don’t feel well …when things are not fine … some women feel like they should not have to need or rely on support groups after a certain time. Sometimes, those who have developed a serious health conditions or complications like breast cancer wish that other people, family, friends, co-workers and others would understand that you are never going to be the same.

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Voices in order they are heard:

*Wilhelmina Grant-Cooper -WCG

*Pamela Appea: Narrator/Host

*Michelle Anderson-Benjamin-MAB

*Pamela Appea: Narrator/Host

*Catrina Marcell—National Lead Angel, The Tigerlily Foundation-CM

*Wilhelmina Grant-Cooper -WCG

**Pamela Appea: Narrator/Host

*Wilhelmina Grant-Cooper -WCG

*Michelle Anderson-Benjamin-MAB

**Pamela Appea: Narrator/Host

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WGC:

Voice one:

This year, I am celebrating 30 years of survivorship.

[Ambient Music]

PA: Narrator/Host Voice two

Doctors and others told me how lucky I was to have caught it early.

MAB:

Voice three

My team knew I was a mom and I’m going to get home to my kids.

PA:

Some people may have excellent health after their cancer has gone into remission. But for others, experiencing life post-cancer may mean getting used to not feeling well all of the time.

CM:

Voice four:

Friends who know, you know, that I’ve been through through these surgeries, and that I’ve been in remission …. Why are you having another surgery? What went wrong? People don’t understand you’re not the same. I tell everybody, I’m Catrina 2.0 now. Catrina 1.0 doesn’t exist anymore.

WCG: The lymphedema experience—and I had no insurance at that time—and I had to go through the system. That was the biggest nightmare. But now, having gone through it, I’m able to walk the next person through that experience and say, well, this is what I did. Maybe that would work for you.

PA: Narrator/Host

I was tired of surgeries. But no one seemed to know what was wrong with me.

WGC: Raise your hand if you don’t know anybody who has had cancer in your family or in … nobody raised their hand.

MAB: You know, their doctor told them, oh well, you only have six months to live and kind of left it at that. I’ve had patients that they were told they have cancer over the phone.

PA: In 2022, two years later, doctors told Michelle the breast cancer had returned.

PA: Sometimes, the best place to go is a support group to be with people who understand.

The end