My breast cancer journey - optimistic and feisty!

Talk with Sabreen Sudan Jolly-Brown “Sabreen Speaks”

I first had the opportunity to reach out to my most recent Podcast guest, Sabreen when I came across her amazing Instagram post pretty recently. After chatting for a short while, Sabreen agreed to being a guest on the Podcast!!!!! I want to first say a HUGE THANK YOU to my dear sister, Sabreen walking us through her journey and sharing her incredible breast cancer testimony today!

Sabreen was age 22 when she first noticed what she thought were changes with monthly self-breast exam. She continued with her routine medical exams with no significant findings. However, she noticed drastic sudden changes with her monthly self-breast exam right around age 26. This time things were different, and those changes got investigated with multiple imaging studies and biopsies.

She subsequently got diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, then navigated every step of her treatment plan that included 16 rounds of chemotherapy, double mastectomy, 30 rounds of radiation, hormone therapy and getting married to her then-boyfriend of about 6 months back then (now amazing and supportive husband) You’ll have to check out this wonderful Podcast session with Sabreen!!!!!!!

Thank you so much, sis, for being my most recent guest on the Podcast. For me, sharing your testimony is such an amazing way to close out 2024, sis!!!!!! Sis, I pray that you'll continue to be protected and healed, only by the grace and power of our living God!

It was absolutely amazing having my dearest sister, Anetra, share her testimony of the Lord's goodness and healing power throughout her periods of health challenges. Specifically, her breast cancer journey started in February 2022 when she got diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - Grade 3 Stage 3C Triple Negative Breast Cancer. This is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, but our GOD continues to show that HE has the final say.

Starting in March 2022, Anetra completed chemotherapy and immunotherapy, at the same time, then proceeded with a double mastectomy in September 2022, and 28 rounds of radiation in October 2022. Finally, she went through immunotherapy treatments for over 7 months in 2023. What an amazing testimony, sis!!!!

I am deeply grateful to have crossed paths with Anetra as her resounding JOY and TRUST in God's unwavering faithfulness so resonate with me, despite everything going on. Sis, thank you so much for reminding me that our God remains in complete control, as you continue to help others throughout their journey.

1. Talk with LaShae Rolle, MPH, CPH
2. ​Happy Breast Cancer Awareness Month, family❤️❤️❤️❤️!!!!!! My goodness! My most recent guest on the Podcast, my dear sister, LaShae Rolle was an amazing breath of our God’s unwavering power in navigating through her breast cancer journey with such poise, resilience and empowerment! My sister’s inspiring words “take it one day at a time and trust that it WILL all work out”

1. ​LaShae’s journey started in 2023 when she initially felt a breast lump at just 26 years of age! It took multiple subsequent visits to get her first mammogram and ultrasound ordered. This imaging showed that she had multiple calcifications in all 4 quadrants of her breasts. She was eventually diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer. You’ll have to listen to the rest of her testimony to hear the rest of her testimony throughout her active treatments! Even now, she’s deadlifting 496 lbs abs squatting 400 lbs! What! She’s a true testimony that every single thing is possible with God!

I wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to my most recent Podcast guest, Sherri Lee. I’ve had the tremendous pleasure of following Sherri’s postings on IG since the beginning of the year. My goodness, Sherri is an amazing Breast Cancer Survivor, Digital Creator and upcoming Author!!!! YES, SIS!!!! Sherri was initially diagnosed in 2022. She was very vigilant about doing her monthly self-breast exams!!! That was the basis of her journey. She was 38 years old at the time. She got the “you are too young speech twice”! Her first Provider felt what she felt but didn’t order any mammogram.

She sought a second opinion from another Provider, went in for that visit at the VA Med Center, and that Provider ordered the mammogram. She felt the lump was moving, but she wanted to know. Her mammogram was done and immediately, she knew they saw something. Next, she was told she would get a Breast Ultrasound, and Sherri could tell from the particular area of focus that there was

Sherri's initial biopsy showed DCIS (Stage 0), but because of the size of the lump, she didn’t have lumpectomy as an option. Subsequently, she had an MRI biopsy on her left breast. Needless to say, she ended up having a double mastectomy in November 2022, same week as Thanksgiving. BUT IT WASN’T OVER! The surgical pathology from the double mastectomy showed a second type of cancer – Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC). It was determined to be Stage 2 IDC, but with unclear margins. WHAT? She ended up having her second surgery at the end of December 2022.

At that point, the surgical pathology showed HER-2 positive AND Hormone (Estrogen and Progesterone-Receptor) Positive (i.e., TRIPLE POSITIVE Breast Cancer). She had her implanted port placed in January 2023 and had 16 weekly rounds of Taxol (with hair loss by the 4th treatment). She also had Herceptin every week with her chemo and just finished Herceptin on April 29th, 2024!!!!! She remains on Tamoxifen and is deeply grateful to God for continuing to preserve her life and create beautiful experiences from this trajectory! You got this, sis!!!!!!

Please don’t forget to check Sherri out as she continues to host the PODCAST @coffeestainedlips_podcast. My dear sister also has a BLOG (https://www.instagram.com/heybreastfriends/)

“Things You Could Never Figure Out on Your Own;   Jeremiah 33:1-9. 1 “While Jeremiah was still locked up in jail, a second Message from God was given to him: 2-3 “This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’ 4-5 “This is what God, the God of Israel, has to say about what’s going on in this city, about the homes of both people and kings that have been demolished, about all the ravages of war and the killing by the Chaldeans, and about the streets littered with the dead bodies of those killed because of my raging anger—about all that’s happened because the evil actions in this city have turned my stomach in disgust. 6-9 “But now take another look. I’m going to give this city a thorough renovation, working a true healing inside and out. I’m going to show them life whole, life brimming with blessings. I’ll restore everything that was lost to Judah and Jerusalem. I’ll build everything back as good as new. I’ll scrub them clean from the dirt they’ve done against me. I’ll forgive everything they’ve done wrong, forgive all their rebellions.

My goodness! I'll always remain deeply grateful to God for Him intentionally placing my pink sister, Shalita Thrasher in my path! It was such an honor to have Shalita share her powerful testimony on the Podcast today. Shalita’s journey began in May 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she underwent a routine mammogram and breast exam. She was given an “all clear” at that appointment and asked to return for her regular annual appointment the next year. 

Just shy of two months after the “all clear”, Shalita was in the shower doing her self-breast examination, and she found a lump on her right breast!!! What? This was also when the nation was at a standstill with COVID-19. I’m deeply grateful to God for His unwavering faithfulness and the Holy Spirit guiding her as she took multiple critical steps:     

Eventually, her doctor ordered three additional tests to be conducted: a biopsy, a 3D mammogram, and an ultrasound of the area. The results were just as Shalita had thought: She was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grade 3 Triple Negative breast cancer, which is considered quite aggressive.

Shalita, a black woman in her early 50s, recalls “Black women have very dense and fibrocystic breasts, and they (the medical team) are not going to always tell us (black women). You must ask questions. You can never be afraid of the medical team. If it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right!!!!” Shalita reiterated over and over again “Your breasts are not supposed to be leaking, swelling, or have redness or lumpiness. You must ask questions.”

Subsequently, Shalita began chemotherapy for the next six months, initiating her road to remission and recovery. She said “God was with me as I fought for my life, just as He had promised!” On Dec. 4, 2021, she completed her last round of chemotherapy, but her journey did not stop there. She recalls how God instructed her to continue her journey by assisting others like her with their own fight, both during and after her fight was complete.

She recalled that during her six months of chemotherapy, God spoke to her every single day. He stated that he wanted me to start a non-profit organization to help newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Shalita was so obedient to God's word, she started her organization “Shine Through Me, Inc., 501(c)(3),” while still going through her chemotherapy treatments!!!!!!

Listen! Shalita used her journey, strength, and trials to allow herself to become a testimony and advocate for breast cancer patients, survivors, and loved ones of those who may have lost the battle.

Shalita continues to emphasize the importance of advocating for early detection, personal healthcare and wellbeing in all phases of life, regardless of the doctor or the healthcare team, because patients are their own best advocates.

Overall, Shalita has been through chemotherapy, double mastectomy with reconstruction and lift. Looking back at her journey, Shalita says she sees her nonprofit organization, Shine Through Me, Inc., as God’s way of allowing her testimony to radiate through her and touch those who may be embarking on a similar journey. It was such an honor to hear Shalita reflect back on how our faithful God turned her pain into purpose! 

Please check out her incredible organization @ shineorganization.orghttps://shineorganization.orgShine Organization!

I want to say a HUGE thank you to Towina!!!! I had the pleasure of having her share incredible testimony, life lessons and words of encouragement and wisdom on the Podcast this week! She was so real, very relatable and just an ambassador of the Joy of the Lord in our lives!!! Thank you, Towina!

Towina M. Jones is an Ambassador of Christ (as His daughter), a Lover of Life and a Thriving Breast Cancer Survivor! Towina was diagnosed in February 2011 and her words with the Lord giving her foresight through the Holy Spirit into her journey (even before the diagnosis was made) are so powerful. She clearly heard our God repeat “I am with you and I will go through this with you!”