Anita Bennie was up late watching television one night in March last year when she passed her hand across her right breast and felt a lump. In a panic, she rushed to the mirror to further investigate and noticed that indeed there was a small lump.
“I was very scared because, you know, I have seen on television about what you should do when you see a lump in your breast and what it means. So that whole night I could not sleep,” Bennie told Stabroek Weekend in a recent interview. She was later diagnosed with cancer and while it has been a tough road, the 39-year-old is speaking about her experience to encourage more women to get themselves checked and not stay quiet because of the stigma attached. She knew what she had to do immediately after she noticed the lump, but said it was not the same when she had to be operated on for fibroids, non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb (uterus). She knew something was wrong for months but was afraid to visit the doctor. In the end, she was forced to and had to undergo almost emergency surgery.
She was not about to make that mistake when she noticed the lump.
“Early the next morning, I told my husband what I noticed and I called the Guyana Cancer Institute… I was advised to have an ultrasound done,” she said, describing how the journey began.
Initially, a mammogram was done then a biopsy along with the ultrasound and while the results first indicated that the lump was not malignant it was recommended that it be removed immediately and Bennie said she had no hesitation in getting that done.
It took eight weeks for the results to come back, which for Bennie was weeks of torture as she kept praying that it would be negative.
“When I finally went for the results,” Bennie said, “I was alone with the doctor that day at the Georgetown Hospital and the doctor told me that it is breast cancer. I kinda get numb and I started to cry and the doctor asked if I was alone and I told her yes and she told me that it was not the end of the world that it could be treated. I am a Christian and, you know, I said it is the start of another journey and the doctor told me that people would come and have no option because of the stage but me being at stage two I had [options].”
She was told the breast had to be removed immediately and six weeks later she commenced chemotherapy.
“And oh boy, how I wished the oncologist had explained chemotherapy to me. They should have given me more information and advice on what to expect. They told me but the information was not enough,” she said.
She described days and nights of just lying in bed with headaches, not being able to eat, vomiting and feeling so weak she could hardly help herself. “It was really bad, I had eight rounds of chemo and the first five was really bad but the last three was not that bad,” she added.
Bennie said she could not have endured the journey without the support of her husband and three children. Two of her daughters, aged 15 and 20, had to take over the running of their home because Bennie was unable to do anything for months. Her eldest daughter is married and has her own home.
“When they found out, the kids cried and they hugged me. My husband hugged me and he said we are going to get through it. We are Christian and we know nothing was impossible with God. The cancer was in the early stage and we started thinking positive and praying a lot more. Whenever I would cry they would be very supportive…,” she said.
Radiation
After chemotherapy, she was told she had to start radiation and as she puts it the 33 days of this treatment was a “process by itself.” She completed the last round of chemo in April but had to wait to start radiation because by then she had no way of paying the $600,000 it cost.
“I did not have a cent,” she said but revealed that with assistance from the Ministry of Health, GTT, a good friend named Sally and a cousin she was finally able to raise the needed funds two months later.
She recalled that when she was on the machine having the radiation done it was “just me and God alone and then I would start questioning myself asking what I did to deserve this but then I would remember God and just put in his hand”.
The treatment was painful some days but there were also good days even though she was left feeling tired and her blood count was continuously low.
Today, Bennie said, she is feeling so much better as it has been six weeks since she has completed the radiation treatment. She is not getting to do her household chores and has had to adapt to taking each day as it comes as there are days when she feels very tired. She also continues to eat healthy as she is always mindful of her diet.
She has to have a CT scan and an ultrasound but does not have the means to get these done at present. Bennie said she was also placed on a five-year treatment of medication to balance her hormones. She has just commenced this treatment and so far there have been no side effects.
Scary
Looking back to the surgery when her breast was removed, Bennie described that period as “scary,” noting that the doctor counselled her about the process and indicated that it may cause problems in her marriage as some men sometimes leave their wives when a breast is removed.
“I said, doc when the time come to cross that bridge I could cross it but my husband is with me and he is very supportive. Sometimes I would look at myself in the mirror and I would feel so down and I would ask him if he scorn me or if I look ugly and if he would leave me. But he would ask why he would leave after so many years and if I would leave him if he gets sick,” she said candidly.
They have been together for 25 years.
Bennie said she is choosing to share her experience because there are usually negative comments about cancer, especially breast cancer “and people would say don’t talk about it because then people would throw it in your face.
“But I would say I am not ashamed. Yes, the breast was a part of my body and it had to come off for me to feel better so I am not ashamed of that,” she said.
Over the months, she said, she has shared her experience with many women and at least one went and had herself checked out after listening to her. “I would continue to share my story to help others,” she added.
“I would like to say to women out there to get yourself checked out and if something is wrong and there is something you could do about it, don’t bother with negative things like if your husband would leave you and all that, it is about taking care of you and that is important.”
She cautioned women to visit the doctor immediately if they see signs of something not being right. She made no mistake when she felt the lump but said it was not the same with the fibroid she was diagnosed with.
“I did know something was wrong but I was afraid to go and get a checkup. Whenever the pain was a lot I would say I would go next month and then I start to feel better and I would say next month. But I remember it was a November, and I was seeing my menstruation and I passed a huge clot and I knew right away that I had to do something. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with multiple fibroid and I had to do the surgery,” she explained.
One year later she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Bennie commended the doctors and nurses of the oncology department at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
“I am just thanking God for everything. I have not worked since the cancer and my husband has to provide for us and you know there is a financial strain and my children you know can’t get certain things because many times the money has to be spent on me. But they are very understanding and I thank God for that,” Bennie said.
Bennie is part of the Guyana Cancer Foundation survivor’s group.
The Guyana Cancer Foundation is located at 351 S East Street, North Cummingsburg between Lamaha and New Market streets, Georgetown and its founder Bibi Hassan can be contacted on 618-2085
