Amanda Villarosa

Survivor

I remember the phone call like it was yesterday. When the nurse called and said “It’s cancer” I fell to my knees & rubbed my pregnant belly. After 3 years of trying, we were finally pregnant with our little miracle & now I had to face cancer head on. My advice for someone that has been recently diagnosed is to not start to google your way through this. I would say to call those who are closest to you for them to come along side you for support. I would tell them to look themselves in the mirror and tell yourself “you are a champion! You are a fighter! You can & will beat this! You are going to be OK! This is not an easy road, but YOU can beat this!” I posted these declarations in my bathrooms and had them on my phone. I would repeat & remind myself daily that I would get through this. The battle of the mind was harder than the physical battle for me. Constantly having positive self talk was key. To the woman who just had the terrifying call I’d like to say, “You will be okay, & you can do this!”. God Bless! Amanda