A breast cancer diagnosis can sometimes be seen as a death sentence, but warriors like Theresa Lindo are proving otherwise.
In March 2022, at 38 years old, after doing a mammogram, ultrasound, and multiple physical exams, nothing detected a mass in Lindo’s breasts. She, however, knew something was awry and insisted that her doctor take a closer look. It wasn’t until there was a visible change in her skin that a biopsy was performed, and the cancer was subsequently detected.
“It’s just so important that we know our bodies and trust our instincts. If something feels wrong, then it usually is, so ask the questions until you are satisfied that your concerns are fully investigated and advocate for yourself,” recommends the managing director of Pure National Ltd on reflection.
Doctors were unable to stage her diagnosis because she had two types of cancer in the same breast. “I had a mammary ductal carcinoma with triple-negative markers, which is the aggressive breast cancer that typically spreads quickly and requires both chemo and radiation. I also had an adenoid cystic carcinoma which typically presents in the salivary gland, but somehow ended up in my mammary gland. Only 0.1% of breast cancers present this way, so it was quite a rare find,” she says.
Regarding her thoughts when she first received the news, Lindo tackled her breast cancer diagnosis like she has learnt to do most things in life. “I immediately went into crisis management mode. This meant understanding exactly what the diagnosis meant, what the next steps were, notifying my tribe that we have a hard thing to face and what I will need from each of them.”
She never had a ‘why me’ moment, but instead asked herself, “What does God have for me on the other side of this?”
Protecting her inner peace, remaining joyful, and staying focused on getting to the next step were of paramount importance at this time. “No jumping ahead and speculating was strictly prohibited.”
With an aunt and two grand aunts having had breast cancer, she had a “traditional” history of breast cancer in her family. However, there is no history of adenoid cystic carcinoma, and Lindo had no mutations of any of the 47 genes tested to explain the two cancers she had. Also, there is no rationalisation for how a cancer usually exclusive to the salivary gland ended up in her breast.
“The best guess from all the specialists I saw was that it was caused by something environmental, which is also interesting. I don’t smoke, I’m not a heavy drinker, I only use glass containers to store food, I rarely microwave, I exercise and live an overall healthy lifestyle.” Continuing, she adds, “There is a global concern that the volume of diagnoses for breast and gut-related cancers in persons under 50 is rapidly increasing and of growing concern. It simply means that there is something about what we are consuming and how we live and interact with our environment that is causing this response of our bodies.”
“If we think about it in the sense of this being something we all experience, then we would and should talk about it more frequently and as loudly as we talk about other things that affect us as women.”
To stay positive throughout her journey, Lindo says, “I remained in a state of gratitude because the truth is God showed up for me at every step of my journey, so as complicated, uncertain and intense as things were, I was sure that I would be OK. Then I set the tone for what I wanted to experience from my family and friends. I needed them to stay positive, to stay present with the facts we have and not speculate … so no Googling! If they did to satisfy their own curiosity, they were not allowed to share their discoveries and fears with me.”
Taking the power back into her own hands, or boobs rather, she threw herself a Bye Bye Boobie BBQ before her double mastectomy. “I chose to celebrate the courage I had to find, the gratitude for my support system, and to share my peace and joy with them so they would have permission to feel the same.”
With her double mastectomy, doctors removed all the cancer. “Fortunately, I am fully cured, so remission is not something I consider. I know my experience is not the typical one, and many others have had a significantly harder time navigating this. That acknowledgement has actually amplified both my gratitude and empathy for others experiencing any kind of cancer,” she says. “On ‘the other side of cancer’, I have also continued to be diligent about remaining in and protecting the happiness and inner peace I feel. I am aware of how incredibly resilient we are as humans, and my desire to take greater risks, my comfort in being brave, and my compassion and empathy for us all increased exponentially. I have a greater drive to truly live … and live well.”
Research shows that one in eight women will get breast cancer. And for every woman that has it, there is a tribe or village of her sisterhood that is impacted by her diagnosis. We are ALL experiencing this together.
Lindo’s message for us all: “If we think about it in the sense of this being something we all experience, then we would and should talk about it more frequently and as loudly as we talk about other things that affect us as women. I, of course, understand the desire to be private about it. Unfortunately, there is a sense of shame or embarrassment as though there is something wrong with us that comes with the diagnosis, and then there is the fear of what the diagnosis means for us. Our breasts are considered one of our sexual organs and private parts, so there can be an awkwardness in talking about them, but we have to get over that. We have to be brave enough to be helpful and comforting to our sisters, daughters, mothers, aunts who will inevitably be affected by this.”
She adds, “To those who are currently dealing with a diagnosis, know that breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. Consider it a notification that you have to fight like hell for your life. It is absolutely a battle for your life, but a battle you can win. Do not be crippled by the fear and be overwhelmed by it all; face it head-on. It is hard, and it can be terrifying, but we can be brave, and we can do hard things.”
CREDITS
Theresa Lindo was photographed on location at the Hope Botanical Gardens.
Photographs by: Gladstone Taylor
Styling, creative direction and story by: Debra Edwards
Body paint by: Tionna Brown
