DENIQUA ROBINSON
Her story…
Deniqua’s story is unfortunately not unique within the breast cancer community. However, her story is hers to tell. She is first and foremost a daughter, sister, mother and friend.
A story with so many layers – her maternal great great grandmother, maternal great grandmother (who are now deceased), maternal and paternal aunts (both in remission) and her beloved late sister (who sadly lost her battle to breast cancer in May at the age of 46), were all diagnosed with breast cancer.
“On May 1st, 2022, I lost my sister who was 46. She was diagnosed on January 27, 2022, with stage 4 breast cancer, the doctors gave her 6-8 weeks to live.”
“Unfortunately, she did not have her annual screening mammograms so by the time it was discovered, the cancer metastasized and she fought for four months straight and then lost the battle.”
“I called Ultimate Imaging in late August to book my screening as I found a lump on the left side of my breast. I had my screening with Ultimate Imaging on September 2, 2021, and I received a call back the next day to have an ultrasound as the lump looked suspicious.”
“Thereafter, I received an urgent call from my doctor to come into her office immediately.”
“She explained that I required a biopsy as the lump looked malignant. I was referred to Brigham and Women’s Hospital and I had 7 biopsies on both breasts and was diagnosed with breast cancer on September 27th, 2021, at the age of 43.”
“When I received the call with the news, I was in total disbelief… it took me a while to process the devastating news.”
“The hardest part for me was sharing the news with close family and friends and seeing their reaction.”
“I am God fearing, so I had to give my fears to God and stand on my faith and let his will be done in this situation.” “Breast cancer doesn’t have to be a death sentence and we must change our perspective and attitudes to be as positive as we can be… having a pessimistic attitude towards cancer gives the cancer cells life to activate. We give cancer so much power and although there is no cure for cancer, we can minimize the risk by making lifestyle changes.”
“I am a fighter by nature so I remained strong throughout the entire process and when I was led, I would share my story to help others.”
“Did I have my moments of emotions?”
“Absolutely I’m human, but I never stayed down for too long.”
Deniqua is currently undergoing treatment. Upon her diagnosis she was told that most likely she would need chemotherapy and radiation.
“After I received my surgery, I had an appointment with the oncologist department to determine the next course of treatment.” “Miraculously my number was lower than the number that required me to have chemo & radiation… therefore my treatment option was surgery to remove tissues from both breast to avoid the cancer from returning.”
“This was one of the happiest days of my life – this news gave me more power to fight.”
Deniqua is a strong advocate for breast cancer awareness, as her goal is to communicate to our community how important it is to be proactive with your screening mammograms.
“The conviction in my heart was to educate as many women as possible about my experience and to push the envelope that they must advocate for their own health.”
“Be in charge of your healthcare, be an advocate for your own health. Ask the right questions, do not be afraid to share your testimony as others will learn from your story.”
Her journey is not unlike others before her here in Bermuda. Necessary treatment, personal pursuit of knowledge on all the nuances – from diagnosis to a continued care plan, was important to her.
“I gained so much knowledge during my time in Boston, the Dana Farber Institute was amazing with explaining things to me as I had no prior knowledge of the terminology used to describe breast cancer or what was seen in my scans.”
“As a result of the knowledge I gained, I shared my experience with my doctor in Bermuda. Specifically, if we can do more to prepare individuals by going over screening results and what the terminology means it will give more insight.”
“I believe most look at their screening results to say benign and the rest is history. I believe we need to dig deeper to understand what else is the document saying, is your breast dense, is there calcifications spots, do you have cystic breast?”
A typical fact check not unique to others who have been diagnosed, Deniqua’s story resonates with so many. She practiced a healthy lifestyle, was diligent with her annual mammograms starting at age 39 due to the breast cancer history in her family. Breast Cancer can affect and afflict anyone – ethnicity, age, gender, family history etc…
“I considered myself a healthy person who ate clean and I worked out 3-5 times a week. I never missed my yearly physicals or screenings, so it took me a while to process the devastating news.”
Bermuda is not isolated in comparison to other impacted communities. There is still so much we need to do in regards to messaging and movement. Our medical and imaging providers must maintain the global standard of care when it relates to breast health. It is our corporate responsibility to our community. We must make a greater effort in collaborating with charities and support groups, as this is a vital component in healing and recovery.
“PALS has a great support group and they were a wonderful support for my sister who unfortunately lost the battle.”
Let us support and honour those who need a voice when it may be quiet, frail or silent. October is one month of many, a breast cancer diagnosis does not choose a date and time.
We honour Deniqua and all others who are battling this tragic disease.
The 2022 Project Pink Campaign was possible with the generous corporate contribution from Ultimate Imaging Ltd. They understand how important, regardless of your chosen diagnostic centre, to be proactive with your healthcare. Breast Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer, which afflicts both men and women. Ultimate Imaging have pioneered for the most advanced breast cancer screening available, with integration of their 3D Mammography system (Senographe Pristina™) and computer aided detection software (CAD) the ProFound AI (Artificial Intelligence).
In addition, they were the first to provide Invenia™ ABUS (3D Automated Breast Ultrasound) – the only breast cancer screening technology FDA approved for detection in women with dense breast tissue. They hold the American College of Radiology (ACR) Accreditation for 3D Breast Imaging.
Thank you Ultimate Imaging for your continued support.
PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.