In honor of Pink October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are sharing the personal story
of Neta, a dear friend of Oak and Luna.
Neta is a breast cancer survivor who is now in remission. She is here today with Natalie, Oak and Luna's Brand
Director, to share her journey and advocate for awareness of this important cause.
Natalie: Neta, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your story. Can
you please start by telling us how everything started?Neta: It all began two years ago when I was 33. One day, I felt a small lump in my breast,
a tiny little lump. I scheduled a doctor's appointment right away. The doctor confidently assured me that it was
a cyst, emphasizing that it wasn't typical for cancer to present this way. Nevertheless, he provided referrals
for ultrasounds to complete the checkup.
Less than a week later, I had my ultrasound appointment, and they quickly determined that
it was a small cyst, less than a centimeter in size. We agreed to follow up in a year.
In less than a year, the lump tripled in size, and it became easily noticeable. I won't lie; it felt strange to
me. I made an appointment with another doctor. This time, I did my research and went to a highly recommended
one. She was very sweet and concluded with almost absolute certainty that it was a cyst. She calmed me down and
suggested I do a follow-up ultrasound just to be safe, and that I should come back to her with the results. When
I asked for a referral for a biopsy, she said there was no need. I was a little surprised and pointed out how it
was getting bigger and harder. She responded by saying she could drain it if it came to that.
I cannot explain why I didn't listen to my intuition this time. Those who know me, know
that in most situations, I am my own best doctor, and I don't give in if something doesn't feel right. There
have been times when things were found only when I pushed for additional tests. Maybe I wanted to believe her
and didn't want to deal with the thought of having cancer, and I had the confirmation from a good doctor that I
wanted to hear.
I calmed myself down and scheduled my follow-up ultrasound only a few months later. When I
went to the appointment, I already understood that things weren't good from the technician's face. She mumbled;
I suppose she didn't want to upset or scare me and immediately called in the doctor, who said that I needed an
urgent mammography and biopsy. A week passed, and I found myself at the hospital, going through a series of
tests.
I remember lying in bed, with the nurse holding my hand, and I asked the doctor about my
prognosis. He looked at me and asked if I really wanted to know. "Yes," I told him. "If the biopsy comes out
negative, I won't believe it," he said. I couldn't stop the tears. The biopsy continued. The nurse tried to calm
me down. I didn't anticipate that answer. It was over.
Sitting on the bed, I couldn't wrap my head around it. Do you know those scenes in the movies where the actress
is lost in her thoughts, and everything around her is blurry and unclear? It was like that. How do I continue
on? The results came in, and the doctor was not wrong. The cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. Now I only
needed to understand what kind of tumor I had and if there were any metastases.
I sat with the surgeon and my parents. He talked about a PET CT that I needed to go
through and the future treatments. "No way I am going through chemo!" was the first thing I said. I am not going
through that. It's a bit funny to think that losing my hair was the first thing that popped into my head. He
looked at me with compassion and said one sentence that has stuck with me since that day, and only recently have
I truly understood it. "Usually, women react this way, but you are much stronger than you think."
Coming back home, I still believed that there was no way I was going to go through these
horrific treatments and that there must be another way. Or I would prefer to die. From here, my journey
began—ups, downs, fears, anger, insights, changes, guilt (Maybe the worst feeling ever). I rediscovered my
friends all over again. Those who needed to leave, left. The real relationships got stronger. (Even a few
friendships came back from my past). And along the way, more and more amazing people were added to my life. My
amazing and supportive family was there for me, and I am truly thankful for them and their support.
I am now nearing the end of my treatment, but I still have a long way to go. I am
rediscovering myself, my strength, and abilities I didn't even know I had. Compassion and self-love are not
foreign to me anymore. But there are still days when I just want to disappear. It feels like I am in a dream,
and soon I am going to wake up from this nightmare.
I am not trying to scare anybody, nor am I tryinkg to convey that doctors are not
reliable. My goal here is to put it out there. Trust your feelings. Get a second opinion. I hope the future
brings a change in the way doctors review these tests. Since the discovery, I have seen so many misdiagnosed
young women, and not everyone was lucky enough to still be here today. Recently, there has been an increase in
the number of young women struggling with breast cancer and an increase in young people with cancer in general.
A tumor can move and can hurt.
I was fortunate enough, and I can be treated (no metastases). But a year and a half of misdiagnoses took its
toll. I only hope that we can reduce these kinds of cases. Feel free to share, and together we can make a
change.
Natalie: Thank you, Neta, for bravely sharing this.
What provided you with the best support during your treatments?
The constant support of my friends and family was truly invaluable. I consider myself
incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing and supportive circle of loved ones. I can't express how grateful I
am for them, and I make it a point to express my gratitude every day. When I received my diagnosis, my close
friends took the initiative to create a WhatsApp group dedicated to making me feel happy and loved. They
constantly updated each other about my condition and went above and beyond to make me feel special, from sending
thoughtful gifts to treating me to meals, massages, and more. For a few months, I stayed with my parents, who
provided me with a sense of protection and unwavering love, never allowing me to feel sorry for myself. During
this challenging time, I also had the privilege of gaining some incredible new friends who added to the support
network I cherish.
Wow, I've gained so much from this journey! I've learned the importance of trusting my
instincts and facing my fears without hesitation. I've also learned to control my reactions without trying to
change others, foster a more positive outlook, and let go of people who bring negativity into my life.
Additionally, I've realized the significance of self-love and self-trust, understanding that stress is the main
cause of almost all illnesses. Therefore, I prioritize staying calm in challenging situations. Sharing my story
on social media has opened a gateway to help other women or relatives of people dealing with cancer. It has also
shifted the focus away from myself and my pain, allowing me to maintain a more positive outlook and feel better.
Finally, I've embraced taking risks because life is a one-time opportunity in this form. With all that said, I
must add that it's a continuous process in which I'm constantly learning and improving.
