Meet the Models: Jennie

No one in my family had breast cancer and I wasn’t checking myself regularly. I didn’t really know how to check myself. One night I was in bed and I rolled over and felt some pressure near my heart. I found a lump. It was big, and I said to myself–oh my god, how did I not feel this?

I went to Stuart Medical Group and I did the biopsy at Norwood Hospital. In my heart, I knew that I had breast cancer. I knew. When I went into the room to get the biopsy everyone’s faces were so down and gloomy. I was just like where am I? I already knew that I had it.

And I got that phone call. I got home right after work and can remember opening my mail and my pcp called me and said I just want to give you the results and I’m sorry but you have breast cancer.

All I heard was I had breast cancer. I didn’t hear anything else. I think I heard the doctor say he was going to get me in contact with a surgeon, but I don’t know. All I thought was–what am I going to tell my children? That was the first thing that came to my head is ​how​ am I going to tell my kids. I’ve been a single mom throughout their whole lives and if something were to happen to me, what would they do? Breast cancer coming out of my mouth? I couldn’t even say it.

When you have the thought in your head, “I could die,” nothing else really matters but your happiness. I wasn’t really happy in a lot of things. I had come to terms that I needed to change my life because I want to be happy. I need to change my life because I have to be happy.

I always get back up, no matter what. But I knew that God had a plan for me and I had to get through this to really find out what I’m supposed to do in life.

I really wanted to walk the runway because I feel so blessed to be alive. I want to live for those who couldn’t. I feel like through chemo I got a fresh new body. I stopped smoking. Now I just want to concentrate on being happy.

See Jennie’s video.