The G.O.O.D.S. Magazine Winter 2014 | Page 23

What was it that made you want to pursue your field in beauty? What was your strength going through this process? I enjoy people looking and feeling beautiful. My strength going through this process was my faith in God. Knowing the power of discernment and early detection gave me comfort in knowing that everything was going to be fine. I also drew strength from my husband and beautiful daughters. What is your true passion in life and how does that coincide with your career? My true passion in life is helping people tap into their inner beauty and translating that into their outer beauty. What was your inspiration in becoming a survivor and how does that affect your day to day living post cancer? DCIS is not cancer in the form that we are all accustomed to hearing about, so in my case this was never lifethreatening and I didn’t approach it as such. I knew this was a serious medical condition and I took an aggressive approach in terms of my treatment and removed both breasts so that I wouldn’t have to revisit this in my future. My inspiration to overcome this mental battle came from knowing that I had a purpose and calling in my life and that is why God blessed me with the gift of discernment and I was able to find this disease in its earliest form. I only consider myself a survivor in a sense that I overcame a mental battle and didn’t allow the devil to defeat my mind while experiencing this medical challenge. How do you think that your diagnosis and overcoming cancer will affect you and your family in the future? I think this experience will affect my family and me in a positive way. It encourages us to stay close, enjoy each other daily, and to be proactive in our healthcare and lead an active healthy lifestyle.  What are your goals from here on out? My goal is to continue to exercise, eat healthy, work, travel, and enjoy my family and friends. Anyone that has had an experience like this or not, it’s important to enjoy living and appreciate life.  What advice do you have to give to other women who face the same diagnosis? Make sure to do your research on this disease and have a lot of questions for your doctor to really educate yourself on the best treatment and future prevention of this disease as it specifically pertains to your case.  www.thegoodsmag.co 23