For greater than 16 years, Maribel has overseen the day-to-day operations of the Complete Breast Clinic on the Cecilia Gonzalez De La Hoya Most cancers Heart at Adventist White Memorial Hospital, an NBCF accomplice facility, in Los Angeles, CA. In her position, she helps numerous ladies by means of their very own breast most cancers diagnoses and coverings.
However that modified in December 2018 when Maribel was recognized with Stage 3C breast most cancers. All of a sudden, her world stood nonetheless as she feared she wouldn’t see her daughters develop up.
Recognized by her co-workers
After receiving irregular outcomes from a mammogram, Maribel instantly trusted her co-workers at White Memorial to carry out the subsequent steps in testing. Maribel was despatched for a breast ultrasound and, shortly after, her physician beneficial a biopsy. “I knew in that second,” Maribel mentioned. “I may see it of their faces.”
Three days later, Maribel acquired a analysis of Stage 3C breast most cancers from her associates and colleagues at White Memorial. “It hit me like a truck,” she mentioned. “However I knew proper then and there that I used to be not going to get handled wherever else. These folks love me, they may care for me. I’m going to get handled right here.”
From that second, Maribel’s breast most cancers journey started inside the partitions of the place she works and calls her second residence. The unwavering assist of her co-workers and the devoted care she acquired from her colleagues-turned-caregivers lifted her up.
A novel assist system
Many breast most cancers sufferers develop shut relationships with their healthcare suppliers, who can supply them a singular system of assist from a medical perspective, offering their sufferers with data, encouragement, and, in the end, the remedies that can hopefully save their lives.
In Maribel’s case, her assist system was concurrently medical and private. Maribel remembers, “It meant the whole lot to have my co-workers assist me. I bear in mind vividly being requested if I wished to be handled some place else for privateness causes. With out hesitation, I mentioned, ‘NO.’ I wished the those who I work with and who’re my household to care for me. I used to be lucky to have a military by my aspect each step of the best way. My co-workers are my angels.”
One in every of Maribel’s docs shared concerning the distinctive state of affairs Maribel endured. “Maribel needed to endure all of the issues that she’s seen our sufferers undergo,” he mentioned. “And now with that have, she is ready to ship extra compassionate care to our sufferers and supply that background of assist, to supply any type of emotional assist that they could want.”
From enduring to thriving
Right now, Maribel is cancer-free and grateful for extra moments along with her husband and daughters.
As a survivor, Maribel shares this recommendation with the ladies she continues to serve at White Memorial, in addition to anybody dealing with a breast most cancers analysis: “Keep optimistic, but when you might want to cry, let it out. Don’t examine your journey to another person’s journey. Speaking about it does make it actual, nevertheless it additionally helps heal the soul.”
NBCF accomplice services supply assist and assist
NBCF is grateful to accomplice with quite a few high quality medical services and hospitals throughout the nation. These services present free screenings and affected person navigation providers to ladies in want.
Nationwide Mammography Program
In case you or a beloved one can not afford a mammogram, seek for an NBCF accomplice facility close to you. These services supply free and low-cost mammograms and screenings to those that are uninsured, underinsured, or can not in any other case afford screening. Seek for a Nationwide Mammography Program facility in your space.
Affected person Navigation Program
NBCF affected person navigators work tirelessly to information ladies by means of their breast most cancers journeys, from scheduling appointments and connecting them to monetary assets to serving as bilingual interpreters and providing a supportive hand to carry throughout therapy, all without charge to the affected person. Seek for a affected person navigator in your space.
Nationwide Breast Most cancers Basis is right here for you and your family members. Whether or not you want assist, training, or assist throughout therapy, we’ve got a workforce devoted to getting you the aid you deserve.