032: Surviving Breast Cancer – W/ Gwendolyn Ngu

In this month of October, we join the breast cancer awareness conversation. In this episode Gwendolyn Ngu, the founder and CEO of Royal Warrior Cancer Foundation shares her breast cancer survivor story. She speaks about how she got diagnosed, the treatment process and how it affected her professional, social, and family life.

We also look are some myths and facts surrounding breast cancer especially in our African community and talk extensively on how we can all, as a community, be more supportive to people dealing with breast cancer and other diseases in general.

[00:01 – 01: 50] Opening segment

[01:51 – 05: 35] Introduction of Topic

• An overview of breast cancer
• Important facts and statistics

[05:36 – 21:19]  Gwendolyn’s Story

• Getting diagnosed
• Getting the news of a cancer diagnosis
• Dealing with the knowledge of her new health status
• Preparing for treatment
• Her prior and general knowledge on breast cancer

[21:20 – 23: 50] Breast Cancer in men

[23: 51 – 32:52] The Treatment Process

• Preparing for treatment
• Going through chemotherapy
• Emotional, mental and physical effects of cancer treatment  on her
• Effects on her professional, family and social life

[32:53 – 50:11] Life Besides Cancer

• Other things she had to deal with while dealing with cancer
• Losing her son to brain cancer after surviving
• Getting a divorce
• What she learned from the whole experience. 

[50:12 – 56:42] Available resources for cancer patients

• Making the right decisions
• Other treatment options
• Looking back on what could be done prior to the diagnosis

[56:43 – 1:10:56] Becoming cancer free

• Recovering
• Reconstruction surgery
• Life after cancer
• Reintegrating society
• Maintenance medication

[1:10:57 – End]  About her foundation (Royal Warrior Cancer Foundation)

• Mission
• Services
• Contact information

Quotable Tweets

“A majority of women who have breast cancer have no risk factors or family history. That is why it is very important for us to really not take it for granted because breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. We have to really make sure that we are being very vigilant and observant with our bodies in general.” – Anyoh Fombad

“There is this ideology especially in our  African community that only women can get breast cancer but everybody has breasts and men could also develop breast cancer. It is very important for men as well to also check for those lumps in the breast which are usually a sign of breast cancer.” – Anyoh Fombad

“The issue with breast cancer in men, even though it is not as common as in women, is that any the time they discover it, it could sometimes be too late because they don’t think that they can have it.” – Anyoh Fombad

“Here is the thing about cancer. I always say the people that really suffer when someone gets diagnosed with cancer is not only the patient. Emotionally, the people around you also suffer because they don’t know how to handle it. Most of the time, they don’t know how to help you.” – Gwendolyn Ngu

“I was reading this book and it that said, you only truly live life after you have mastered the art of dying.Yes.  After thinking that I had gotten to this place where I could die and I then did not die, that makes me want to live life on another level.” – Gwendolyn Ngu

“When it comes to family and friends; if you have somebody who is sick, keep your own emotions aside. Consider what that person is going through, it doesn’t matter how you feel about them, it could be you. Treat people how you would want to be treated. If you do not know how, ask for help. Ask somebody who had been through that route, or ask the person who is sick how you can help them.” – Gwendolyn Ngu

PLEASE SHARE AND LEAVE A REVIEW

You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, or send us an email at hello@livingafricanpodcast.com. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more.

Gwendolyn Ngu can be reached through any of the following media:

Facebook: Royal Worrior

Instagram: royal warrior cancer support

Web: www.royalwarrior.org

Email: info@royalwarrior.org

You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).