@frodayss

3 months until my @coppafeelpeople trek and a good time to re introduce myself. My name is Nina. One night after I put my daughter to bed I found a lump by accident. Went to the doctor straight away to get it checked and was told it was NOTHING. That young women can have lumpy breasts and I had no reason to worry. However, a few weeks later I experienced sharp pains to my chest and decided to self examine again. After a second visit to the doctor followed by referrals and tests, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in the summer of 2018. I completed my treatment plan of chemo,surgery and radiotherapy in April 2019 and had a complete pathological response- meaning no active cancer in my body. I understood that I wasn’t in remission and that the risk of the cancer returning was very high. Making the 2-3 year mark the highest risk for reoccurrence. So I learnt to know my body and go to the doctor with any symptoms that persisted for longer than a few weeks. After experiencing extreme pain for over 12months and being told by doctors that it was nothing, one last yearly routine MRI scan showed that the cancer had indeed returned and spread to my lymph nodes, sternum and chest wall. Making it inoperable and terminal. I now live 3 months at a time and have 1 more line of treatment available for me… So far the last chemo drug (GemCarbo) has blessed me with 10 months of LIFE! And I would love more To see my daughter grow Make memories And LOVE a little while longer. I took on this challenge because being terminally ill to me means that #itsnottheenduntiltheend I want to raise awareness and more importantly empower young women with knowledge to be assertive when your body gives you the signs that something isn’t normal. This trek is my way of showing my daughter that life is beautiful because it’s hard. And it’s in those difficult moments that we learn who we truly are. So I am believing that I have another 3 months of life to embark on this trek of discovery. I want to take this time to thank everyone for their support and donations. Thanks to you all I have reached 73% of my target with less than 3 months to go!