Thriver Spotlight: Dianne Newell @holywildfreedianne
Dianne's "20 Ways to wear a gown" photo collage! The dressing room is where she entertained herself while receiving radiation every day.
Dianne was shocked to learn that she had Triple Positive Breast Cancer in Stage 1. In spite of the aggressive treatment, she hoped to get back to her active lifestyle quickly. While receiving radiation, she kept her spirits up by having fun, and as you can see in the photo, she entertained herself in the dressing room. Her treatment was successful, but her sudden change in lifestyle had a negative impact on her mental health. That’s when she found Pink Strength.
Here is Dianne’s story and testimonial:
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At 49 I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive Breast Cancer. Even though it was found early, the HER2-positive status meant I was in for aggressive treatment. My plan consisted of six rounds of chemotherapy combined with immune therapy, followed by a lumpectomy and 20 sessions of radiation. Post-surgery, my immune therapy drugs continue for nine months.
The initial diagnosis was shocking, but what was more shocking was how aggressive a treatment plan for stage 1 cancer would be! Being an athlete, I have a weekly routine consisting of running, walking, hiking, weight training, yoga, and Pilates. I prayed (literally) to God that he would grant me the energy to be able to keep up with at least some of my exercise regime so I could maintain a sense of normalcy. I was blessed with a healthy and hearty sense of humor, and I said many prayers that this, too, would also stay intact as I faced what I was about to endure. Through my own prayers and the prayers of so many family and friends cheering me on and being constantly by my side, God blessed me with everything I asked for and more.
My body surprised even me as it carried me through the battle like a champion! I was able to run until my fourth treatment when I had to switch to walking only. I was able to continue with weight training, yoga, and hiking, though. Prayers were also answered with my ability to laugh and have fun with my doctors, nurses, and techs throughout the journey.
There were, of course, many ups and downs, with laughter amongst many tears. Changes in the treatment cycle happened as things moved along. As someone who likes to plan ahead, the constant pivoting began to take a toll on my mental health, something I was not used to. I started to realize that I was physically beating cancer, but mentally, cancer was beating me.
That is where Pink Strength came in. I was invited to one of their “Away Days” through a friend. It was a day dedicated to mindfulness through guided meditation and sound healing. I was a little hesitant to attend. I want to spend the day talking about cancer. Could I open up about my feelings? I soon discovered this time was an opportunity for me to meet survivors and see just how well they were doing. It gave me such hope to connect with other women who understood exactly what I was going through. I even got to meet another HER2 survivor, which was the first time I could connect with someone with the same diagnosis. The benefits continued as I was treated to a wonderful acupuncture session at a later time because I was the recipient of the raffle drawing that day.
I am now practicing my mindfulness and meditation at home each day, and it is helping me stay present in my gratitude. Slowly but surely, I am starting to feel like myself again! The Lord puts people in your path to help you through your journey, and Pink Strength is heaven-sent.
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Thank you for letting us share your story, Dianne!
If you are a patient, survivor, or caregiver, fill out our intake form and you’ll get notified of our upcoming Away Days.
