Strong and Fierce with Tawnya Jacob
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Tawnya Jacob, a cancer survivor and dental hygienist, wants to remind women going through a similar journey as hers is this: If you feel like giving up, remember that everything we feel is temporary.
In January 2020, Jacob's randomly asked her husband to check her chest to see if he could notice anything different or abnormal. Within seconds he detected a small pea size lump below her skin on her right breast.
"He recommended I keep an eye on it and get it checked out. So after two months of wishing and hoping for it to disappear and realizing it wasn't going anywhere, I frantically approached my boss and requested to have the following afternoon off to get my suspicious lump checked out," she explains. "The following day, I went to a walk-in clinic and had my chest examined by a nurse practitioner."
After speaking with her doctor through a webcam, Jacob was assured that it was likely just a cyst but was recommended that she have an ultrasound and biopsy to be safe. The following week the pandemic began, and she was officially laid off. After being referred to a nearby imaging clinic for an ultrasound and the following week for a biopsy, she received a phone call from her doctor.
"On the 31st of March, I received a phone call from my family doctor; he called to tell me my results came back as positive. Unfortunately, at 27 years old - I had stage 1 breast cancer in my right breast," she shares. "He told me to expect a phone call in the coming days from my surgeon and eventually my oncologist. I was a mixture of emotions; scared, shocked, devastated, and anxious about what was to come. However, I will admit that I did not fear death or question if I would die. I knew that much of my destiny was completely out of my control at this point."
After her best friend was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at 24 years old, Jacob went into her journey with previous knowledge. It allowed her to remain positive, hopeful and determined.
"I will always look back with gratitude and wonder how I got so lucky with the timeline of everything. Had I not advocated for myself and had my lump examined when I did, I could have very possibly been diagnosed at a later stage with a poorer prognosis," she states.
On the 1st of May of 2020, Jacob started her 1st round of chemotherapy and, over a 22-week span, received 16 rounds of chemo infusions.
"Overall, I tolerated the chemotherapy generally well aside from the traumatizing part of losing your hair and feeling like a zombie. On the 30th of September, 2020, I elected to receive a double mastectomy with complete reconstruction (implants). At this time, my surgeons were able to completely remove all of the cancer which was localized to my right breast," she says. "Fortunately, my lymph nodes were not affected, and they only had to remove a small number of them to be tested. I was also able to keep both of my nipples, and I am very happy with my reconstruction results. I am happy to report I am in remission and have been cancer-free for one year! I am currently on hormone therapy to keep the cancer cells from returning, and I am feeling great."
Through everything, Jacob shares that her best advice to any woman going through a similar journey is to remember that every journey is different and that no two stories are ever the same.
"If you feel like giving up, remember that everything we feel is temporary. What you are feeling is likely to fade, and emotions of happiness and joy are always on the horizon. Remember that you are loved, and there are people who need you here. Think about your goals, things you want to do in your future and the person you would become. All of these thoughts will help you to remain hopeful and motivated to keep fighting. It is normal and natural to have moments, even days where we feel like we are always falling, we want to give up. Rest, rejuvenate and when you are ready, dust yourself off and get back up again."
Describing herself as hopeful, empathetic, and motivated, Jacob says what empowers her daily is her husband, dogs, family, friends and her mind and soul.
To follow Tawnya’s journey, check out her Instagram @relentlesslyresilient
In January 2020, Jacob's randomly asked her husband to check her chest to see if he could notice anything different or abnormal. Within seconds he detected a small pea size lump below her skin on her right breast.
"He recommended I keep an eye on it and get it checked out. So after two months of wishing and hoping for it to disappear and realizing it wasn't going anywhere, I frantically approached my boss and requested to have the following afternoon off to get my suspicious lump checked out," she explains. "The following day, I went to a walk-in clinic and had my chest examined by a nurse practitioner."
After speaking with her doctor through a webcam, Jacob was assured that it was likely just a cyst but was recommended that she have an ultrasound and biopsy to be safe. The following week the pandemic began, and she was officially laid off. After being referred to a nearby imaging clinic for an ultrasound and the following week for a biopsy, she received a phone call from her doctor.
"On the 31st of March, I received a phone call from my family doctor; he called to tell me my results came back as positive. Unfortunately, at 27 years old - I had stage 1 breast cancer in my right breast," she shares. "He told me to expect a phone call in the coming days from my surgeon and eventually my oncologist. I was a mixture of emotions; scared, shocked, devastated, and anxious about what was to come. However, I will admit that I did not fear death or question if I would die. I knew that much of my destiny was completely out of my control at this point."
After her best friend was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at 24 years old, Jacob went into her journey with previous knowledge. It allowed her to remain positive, hopeful and determined.
"I will always look back with gratitude and wonder how I got so lucky with the timeline of everything. Had I not advocated for myself and had my lump examined when I did, I could have very possibly been diagnosed at a later stage with a poorer prognosis," she states.
On the 1st of May of 2020, Jacob started her 1st round of chemotherapy and, over a 22-week span, received 16 rounds of chemo infusions.
"Overall, I tolerated the chemotherapy generally well aside from the traumatizing part of losing your hair and feeling like a zombie. On the 30th of September, 2020, I elected to receive a double mastectomy with complete reconstruction (implants). At this time, my surgeons were able to completely remove all of the cancer which was localized to my right breast," she says. "Fortunately, my lymph nodes were not affected, and they only had to remove a small number of them to be tested. I was also able to keep both of my nipples, and I am very happy with my reconstruction results. I am happy to report I am in remission and have been cancer-free for one year! I am currently on hormone therapy to keep the cancer cells from returning, and I am feeling great."
Through everything, Jacob shares that her best advice to any woman going through a similar journey is to remember that every journey is different and that no two stories are ever the same.
"If you feel like giving up, remember that everything we feel is temporary. What you are feeling is likely to fade, and emotions of happiness and joy are always on the horizon. Remember that you are loved, and there are people who need you here. Think about your goals, things you want to do in your future and the person you would become. All of these thoughts will help you to remain hopeful and motivated to keep fighting. It is normal and natural to have moments, even days where we feel like we are always falling, we want to give up. Rest, rejuvenate and when you are ready, dust yourself off and get back up again."
Describing herself as hopeful, empathetic, and motivated, Jacob says what empowers her daily is her husband, dogs, family, friends and her mind and soul.
To follow Tawnya’s journey, check out her Instagram @relentlesslyresilient