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When you’re 27 years old the last thing that crosses your mind are mammograms, breast self-examination and breast cancer.
“My doctor had said I was too young to have a mammogram, so when I finally heard the breast cancer diagnosis after tests on my “cyst,” my whole body went numb. I didn’t have time for cancer; I was getting married. On December 5, 1997,” Tanya Enriquez says.
Her honeymoon turned into a visit to the hospital to have 20 lymph nodes removed, and an aggressive chemotherapy treatment.
Soon after her diagnosis Tanya met Marta Zuniga, a stage III breast cancer patient and later met Susan Coll, the three were known as the Three Muskateers.
“We had a bond that not many shared. We were all under 30 and had breast cancer. We would talk, laugh, and go out to lunch, shocking everyone who watched as we traded hats that covered our bald heads,” Enriquez says.
Unfortunately, Susan and Marta lost the batter against cancer.
“After their deaths, my pledge became more of a mission. I became heavily involved with the education committee of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I would tell my story and hopefully touch one woman. But it wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more,” Enrique says.
Today, Tanya continues to educate young Latinas and young women about breast cancer and is very involved with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
“[Survivorship] means respecting every day that you are cancer-free and passing on that strength to other men/women going through it. Looking at care givers and letting them know that they are more precious than they know and saying thank you!!! It means loving the YOU that has and is continuing to survive.”
Read Tanya’s full story on Redes en Accion’s Nuestras Historias.
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage
