In November 2013, I started having sharp, quick pains in my right breast. Since I had nurses in my family, I decided to give them a call and inquire about it. I was told that it was probably occurring because I was drinking too much caffeine. It should not be anything that I should be alarmed about because if it was cancer, it would not hurt. After taking the advice and eliminating as much caffeine as I thought I could, the pains were still present. During December or January, I had an alarming dream that revealed that I had Stage 2 Breast Cancer. After waking up and rebuking the dream, I decided to go get tested. When I went to the doctor, he also told me that if I was having pains that it was nothing to be alarmed about and I should be fine. After examining, he did not feel anything and began again to reassure me that everything was fine. After insisting, he wrote up an order for a Diagnostic Mammogram because I was only 39 years old. On March 7, 2014, I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and the tumor was approx 2.5 cm in size. On March 27, I had elected to have a lumpectomy with the removal of two nodes to be tested. The great news is that the cancer had not metastasis and was just in that localized area. I have had four rounds of chemo and now awaiting radiation treatment. During this very trying time in my life, my family has always been there. I was able to see my oldest child graduate and am gonna be able to raise my two youngest children all because of a dream and me being persistent. DEFEAT is and was NEVER option. Keep FIGHTING the Good FIGHT! And keep The Faith!!!

Toya Matthews
Memphis, TN