Early in her career, Ivis balanced her time working at a financial bank with studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After the birth of her youngest son, she decided to take two years to stay home and enjoy her children. During these years, she spent a lot of quality time with them, going to the library, walking in the park, and attending their hockey games. Aside from their shared love of hockey, music was also a big part of their lives. With her husband being a musician and her love for dancing, their home was always filled with music and melodies. In those days, medicine, hospitals, and doctors were not part of Ivis' world, but that would soon change.
Soon after delivering her second child, Ivis felt a strange sensation in her left breast. Her doctor insisted it was nothing and that it was due to breastfeeding her newborn baby. However, after 18 months without improvement, Ivis insisted on a more complete physical exam. During the appointment, her doctor did notice something unusual, and he sent her to get a mammogram and a sonogram. Days later, the doctors told her that it wasn’t anything serious and that she should come back in six months. Ivis was not willing to wait any longer; her instinct was telling her something wasn’t right and she insisted that they do a biopsy. The results brought life-altering news: Ivis had breast cancer.
Navigating change
After receiving the breast cancer diagnosis, her mind was filled with doubts and questions. If something happened to her, who was going to be there for her family? When she thought of her children, her mindset changed: “I can’t die. I have these two children. I have my family. I have my husband. I want to live. I have to do as much as possible to help myself and get through this.”
Her treatment included receiving a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. She lost her hair, gained weight, and battled depression and fatigue. The medication also changed the color of her tongue. In a moment of panic, Ivis called one of her doctors thinking she was dying, but he calmed her down. Despite the nausea, weakness, and the secondary effects of the treatment, Ivis persevered. She remembered that she had always been strong; she was a fighter. Every time she felt bad or depressed, she told herself “You have it better than others. You have to fight. You have to be strong for your children.”
Seeing the fear in her sons’ eyes deeply affected Ivis. When one of her sons developed stress-induced asthma, she became even more determined to carry on. She sometimes felt guilty remembering how she used to be an energetic mom who danced with her kids and did everything with them. Despite these challenges, Ivis found emotional support in her family and loved ones. She drew strength from her faith to be there for her children, her husband, and her family. Ivis’ husband was an essential support for her during her treatment. Even though it was tough, he continued to work and took care of all the family affairs, including cooking for everyone when her family couldn’t be there to help.
Treatment ends and the road continues
Although Ivis has finished her cancer treatment, she still lives with some side effects. Her weight fluctuates and she struggles with lymphedema in her arms. To manage this, Ivis receives regular massage treatments, and she makes sure she exercises. She also continuously reads and researches to stay informed about treatment options.
From patient to advocate
Going through cancer treatment, Ivis promised herself that if she lived, she was going to help other people facing cancer. She especially thought about women who do not ask their doctors questions due to fear or because they don’t speak English. This motivated her to learn more about breast cancer and to become an advocate.
Part of what she learned while in treatment was to ask questions to her health care team and to make sure that she was a central part of the team. Her oncologist knew that Ivis would have a list of questions at every consultation. Now Ivis tells everyone, “Write down your questions, because you will forget when you get to the doctor’s office.” She later began serving as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. During this time, she discovered Share Cancer Support, a nonprofit organization that supports, educates, and empowers people who have been diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancers, and provides information about signs and symptoms. Shortly after, she became the director of LatinaSHARE, finding her passion helping Latina women through educational programs and support groups. Since then, Ivis has served on committees, given speeches at conferences in both English and Spanish, and served as a liaison to the Hispanic community for scientific researchers.
When collaborating with organizations or attending conferences, Ivis asks for information in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, and other languages, because cancer affects everyone. “The world is so enormous, there are so many people that need help in their language.”
The path forward
Ivis now celebrates more than 30 years as a cancer survivor. She is filled with joy that she has had the opportunity to see her children grow and was able to dance at their weddings. Today, Ivis is the proud grandmother of a beautiful young girl who shares her love of dance. Ivis hopes that her granddaughter never has to face cancer. Ivis is also profoundly grateful for the support and the patience of her family, especially her husband.
Throughout her life, Ivis has confronted challenges and made sacrifices due to cancer. However, she wants all those who face the disease to know that they are not alone. She encourages other survivors to, “get informed as much as you can and actively take part in your health care team. The greatest love one can give is to oneself and to continue forward. And like they say in Puerto Rico: “siempre pa’alante (always move forward).”
Image: Ivis
Get informed as much as you can and actively take part in your health care team. The greatest love one can give is to oneself and to continue forward. And like they say in Puerto Rico: “siempre pa’alante (always move forward).”