STRUT! May 2014 | Page 8

Candance Fuller When you hear the word cancer it’s an automatic thought of death. But I Candance Fuller has had the experience of hearing it 3 times and I’ve finally faced the facts……I am destined to be here! In May 2011, I was a happy go lucky 26 year old enjoying being a mother of two little girls. I had big dreams of returning to school and finding a career. After having minor complications with issues concerning my breast I decided something wasn’t right and went to my doctor who ordered a mammogram. On June 9, 2011, I was diagnosed with Her2 positive breast cancer. This was the beginning of a journey I will never forget. I underwent a radical bilateral mastectomy followed by 6 rounds of chemotherapy and 33 rounds of radiation. Throughout this I lost all my hair, all my fingernails, and dealt with numerous other complications. On 2 different occasions I even tried to take my life. It just seemed all too much. After finally beginning to come back to myself, my next diagnosis was with ovarian cancer. Seriously? Why me? I underwent a full hysterectomy and they were able to get to the cancer before it had spread. If I had waited 2 more weeks it would have been terminal. 2 months after this surgery I started having an abnormal pain in my breast again. After going in to find the problem doctors discovered that the cancer had returned behind my implant. Once again they were able to remove all of the cancer. Going through these 3 different diagnoses has changed my life! Many look at me as if I’m crazy because I never complain about my situation. The main reason is because through it all God has helped me to find my purpose. “What the devil meant for bad He turned around for my good.” I have started a breast cancer awareness group call Team Candy. Our goal is to spread awareness to the community about all kinds of cancer, focusing on those who cannot fully pay for their treatments. We take donations year round for all events. We also do different events to bring joy to those who have been through to help them realize that we see how blessed they are. I encourage anyone who is going through to never give up on your dreams. Realize that you are a survivor from day 1 and that God has a purpose for you. You just have to get up and go for it. Cancer has never defined who I am, my actions did though!!