Anabel Nunez

Raleigh, NC
Diagnosed April 18, 2008
(September 2011)

I am 33 years old and I am a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 18, 2008.  I was 31 years old when my biopsy was done on April 16th.  I received my results on April 18th at 1:30pm. That day was the worst day of my life. I guess I had been waiting for that day since my mom died. So when they said it was cancer, I wasn’t surprised. I will remember that day like it was yesterday and the tears start flowing. That day, I felt a tear run down my face and when I saw my boyfriend he couldn’t believe it. We went to my car and he started crying, pulling his hair, and yelling, why? I told him not to be out of control since he had diabetes but my first thought was that I was going to die.  I saw my mother die with cancer and now I know that my mom died because she was depressed and that depression weakened her. I thought to myself—I don’t want to be depressed and I don’t want to die—and now here I am two years later. I brought a folder that held pictures of my daughter and boyfriend with me every time I had a chemo treatment.  I had to do this because they were waiting for me.  My daughter was seven years old.

I would like to tell everyone that cancer doesn’t kill people, the depression does. When you are depressed you don’t want to fight, you don’t want to work. I kept telling myself that this was like a headache, tomorrow I will be fine.

Even with the diagnosis of cancer I was enjoying my life, my family. Sometimes, I’d almost forget that I had cancer when I was with my four friends. When I told them that I had been diagnosed with breast cancer they cried and acted like I was dying that day. Since that day I now have five friends—including God. The principal was God. I put my life in his hands and worked hard to survive. I thank God for this new life and my four friends (my angels). I would like to say thank you for all your help, your time, your smiles, your tears, your words, and your food that was delicious.  I didn’t have the time or energy to cook for my daughter.  Every time I had chemo you were with me, thank you.