A South Florida lady’s survivor journey

At simply 27 years outdated, Clarina Jean-Pierre confronted a life-altering prognosis that nobody in her household had skilled earlier than – breast most cancers. She observed a rash on her breast and, decided to take cost of her well being, pushed for additional assessments.

“Finally [I was] seemed within the face by the first and instructed, ‘Look, you’re overexaggerating your well being, Clarina,’” Jean-Pierre recalled in a report revealed by WPBF Information earlier this month.

These extra assessments proved crucial, as she was identified with stage one breast most cancers. Newly engaged with a younger daughter,  Jean-Pierre opted for a single mastectomy and oral treatment, selecting the trail that gave her the perfect probability at life.

“I imagine that if I did a lumpectomy, what was I going to have left,” she stated. “I would as effectively let [the doctor] take it.”

Jean-Pierre was on the highway to restoration, able to embrace life as soon as extra. Nonetheless, a post-reconstruction check-up delivered a surprising blow – stage 4, grade B breast most cancers had returned.

This time, the illness had additionally unfold to her proper lung.  Jean-Pierre confronted chemotherapy infusions within the very room the place she had lately began working at Baptist Well being’s Most cancers Middle in Boca Raton.

“Earlier than I clocked out, I keep in mind particularly going into one in every of our little non-public rooms and going to additional clear it with sandy garments, as a result of that was the place I used to be going to take a seat after I got here within the subsequent morning at 8 a.m.,” she remembered.

By means of grueling rounds of chemotherapy,  Jean-Pierre’s husband grew to become her unwavering assist, staying on the telephone together with her all through her restoration at residence.

“Some days I’d get up and I’d really feel like I don’t even have chemo,” she stated. “Then the very subsequent day I’d get up and I’d really feel like I can’t even get my head off the pillow.”

Jean-Pierre and her medical staff carefully monitored her progress, making certain that her remedy was efficient with out pointless prolongation.

“After we went in and we did my PET scan after the third chemo, there was no plenty, nowhere, not in my breast, not in my lung,”  Jean-Pierre stated. Clear scans arrived in February 2023.

Although the chemotherapy left its mark,  Jean-Pierre emerged as a two-time breast most cancers survivor with a profound mission. She is set to encourage others, making a neighborhood referred to as ‘Surviving for Brown Ladies’ to assist ladies on their most cancers journey.

However her most necessary message is obvious: by no means hesitate to hunt medical assist in case you suspect one thing is mistaken together with your well being. Advocate for your self, as  Jean-Pierre has achieved, as a result of, as she says, “I’m uninterested in dropping sisters to this illness.” She is going to proceed to battle and advocate for most cancers, cherishing the second probability at life she’s been given.

Extra on Breast Most cancers Consciousness month