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Breast Cancer Doesn’t Define You … “YOU DEFINE IT!”

Breast Cancer Doesn’t Define You …

“YOU DEFINE IT!”

Lisa Patrick

The Ashland Beacon

 

In June of 2022, Ladena Clay had a mammogram and received an all-clear. By October, however, she discovered a lump, leading to additional imaging and a biopsy. When she received the cancer diagnosis, her initial reaction was relief; the waiting for results had been the hardest part. She shared, “I just wanted them to just go ahead and tell me if it was cancer so I could get a plan together and move forward.” In just three months, Clay went from a clean bill of health to a stage two breast cancer diagnosis. With such a rapid transition, she recognized her breast cancer was aggressive – but it wasn’t as aggressive as she was.

Clay received her diagnosis right before Christmas. She recalls gathering her parents to share something important. Once they were all together, she blurted out, “I’m pregnant!” Without allowing them time to react, she quickly added, “Nah, I’m just kidding. It’s breast cancer.” At the time, Clay's youngest sister was also battling cancer, having been given just six months to live seven years prior. Clay confidently stated, “If she can have three stage four cancers, then I can have one stage two cancer. I will be fine.”

Determined to maintain a positive attitude, Clay aimed to put a positive spin on her diagnosis. “I didn’t have breast cancer … breast cancer was lucky enough to have me!” she shared. She believed she had two choices: “I can either put on my big girl pants and move forward or let it consume me.”

With New Year’s approaching, Clay resolved to be cancer-free by the end of 2023. True to her fighting spirit, she pursued the most aggressive treatment options available, including a chemotherapy regimen known as the “Red Devil,” named for its striking red color. Unlike a gradual hair loss, she experienced complete body hair loss all at once.

Undeterred, she found humor in the situation, thinking, “This is the best! I had a clean palate and whatever I wanted.” She embraced false eyelashes and even used glitter to draw on her eyebrows. Clay sported wigs in vibrant colors – green, purple, red, pink, and even rainbow. She recalled a time at a restaurant with her siblings when someone complimented her green ombre wig. Laughing, she asked if they wanted it and pulled it off her head, leaving everyone around her in shock. The server even encouraged her to do it for her colleagues.

“Technically, you’re not supposed to have fun while having cancer, but I chose a different path,” she remarked.

Despite her upbeat demeanor, there were moments when she felt too sick to work, managing both a full-time and a part-time job at the time. Clay noted, “There were some really hard times when my blood counts weren’t high enough for me to get treatments.” Delays in her chemotherapy meant postponements for her surgery as well. “I cried. That’s the only time I cried,” she admitted.

Finally, in October of 2023, Clay underwent a double mastectomy, removing all breast tissue along with reconstructive surgery. “I don’t have to have a mammogram for the rest of my life!” she exclaimed. While mammograms were no longer necessary, she still had to check the lymph nodes around her underarm area, as they are also considered breast tissue. “If I feel anything weird, I report it,” she declared.

Clay felt “lucky enough to not be sick all the time.” She shared, “People actually had a hard time believing that I was as sick as I was, but that’s because I didn’t cave into it.” Radiation treatments were unnecessary because she opted for such aggressive chemotherapy.

Her last treatment was in April 2024. Although she was declared cancer-free after her surgery, she needed to complete the remainder of her chemo cycle, knowing it could take one to two years for her immune system to return to normal. Clay made sure to take vitamins and minerals to aid her healing.

Her stomach was used in the reconstruction of her breasts, which she viewed positively: “Thank you, breast cancer! Thanks to you, I’ve got this luxurious curl in my hair, a flat tummy, and bigger boobs!”

  When asked what advice she would give someone newly diagnosed, Clay said, “Acknowledge it but move forward. Don’t let it define you … YOU DEFINE IT! When I decided that it (the cancer) was going to pay rent or move out … it moved out. It didn’t have a job; it’s cancer.”

 

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