Lisbeth Wong

Survivor

Hello, my name is Lisbeth Wong, and this is my story: On June 9th 2016, just after my daughter’s 3rd graduation, I went out to celebrate with my family. On the way back home while we were waiting on a traffic light, I touched and felt in my right breast a little ball, I was surprised, confused and concerned. But because I did not have health insurance, I waited until July to go to the doctor so they performed a mammography and an ultrasound. Because of the result, the doctor ordered a biopsy. At that moment, I was more concerned about my situation. The results of the biopsy came a week after. The Doctor told me that I had cancer but not only that he mentioned that it was very aggressive. I started thinking the worst; I cried a lot because for many reasons we always relate cancer and death. 

A lot of thoughts went thru my mind, but my big concern was my little daughter growing up with out my support. At that time my friend Millie, from my Zumba group, was passing through a similar situation and she invited me to a prayer group that she already knew. So we went to the group I was very pleased with it because I have been a believer of God all my life. Meanwhile the doctor recommended a Pet Scan, in order to evaluate the damage and the spread of this aggressive cancer. The prayer group was one of the best things for me because it gave me comfort and peace. And I felt that God was helping me and felt his healing power. By September 16 2016, the doctor gave me the result of the Pet Scan, the news were very good; the cancer did not spread. So he told me I had 2 options: the first one was to do a surgery and remove the tumor followed with radiation and the second one was remove my breast, so I choose the second one. And decided to do a bilateral mastectomy. The reason that I took the second option was because I believed that I did not need chemotherapy. At that moment I thank God, because I am convinced that it was a miracle. I kept my good attitude and for me was a great relief. I became a different person and I said to myself “Lisbeth, you are going to begin a war against cancer.” The time passed by, I was very concerned but my faith helped me out a lot. I went to surgery on September 27 2016. After surgery, I recovered for 2 months. I stayed in my little sister’s house. She was great, good sense of humor, and gave me a lot of love as did my beautiful mother, my brother in law showed me his support as well, so my family was another of my great medicine. They gave me strength. We laughed, cried, and enjoyed every moment everyday. 

The most beautiful lesson of this experience is knowing that I am surrounded by lovely and kind people. And because of my lack of health insurance my Zumba instructors Alex Cardenas, Danit Balinco, Powerumba, Tamara Roy, my group prayer, my coworkers, all of them collected  money and supported  and helped me with my finances in order to paid my unpaid bills. I will be so grateful for the rest of my life. On October 14th, I went back to the doctor for the biopsy result from the breast that he removed. Thank God everything was negative. It did not spread to the lymph nodes, but the doctor said that I need chemotherapy because of the aggressiveness of the cancer because he doesn’t want it to come back, in that moment I started crying and felt very sad again. But because of my faith and thanks to God,  I did the chemo and at the same time I was doing Zumba. I could work with out a problem. I did not feel sick, and between my job and the Zumba classes I felt great and very active. Zumba for me is like a vitamin to dance, have fun, and see life differently. All my Zumba friends and my coworkers were telling me that I was their Super Hero and their inspiration.  They also told me that I was a symbol of faith and life, all of those complements helped me out in this journey to proceed with my life and my wellness. On June 15th, I finished with the treatment I can say that with faith, good diet ,exercise, love of your family and friends and have a positive attitude, we can get ahead in life and show that we are the warriors. And that life is beautiful and we must move forward, always smiling and eager to fight and be an example of overcoming any obstacle that comes in our life. “WHEN WE LEAST EXPECT LIFE PUTS US AHEAD A CHALLENGE THAT TESTS OUR COURAGE AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE” Paulo Coelho