Two time survivor
Two time breast cancer survivor Jenine Siedle candidly speaks about her journey of surviving cancer twice.
Being diagnosed with breast cancer twice has taught Jenine Siedle to savour every moment,
never again taking life for granted.
When Siedle first heard that she had the “big C” she was full of self pity and asked herself “why
me?”
She later realised that her question should have been “why not me?” because no one chooses
to have cancer. The cancer in her right breast was discovered when she was 32, and three years later it returned.
“My children were young the first time so no matter what was happening under my skin I had to put on a brave face for them and live my life as normally as possible.”
She went through a lumpectomy, then gruelling chemotherapy and radiation treatments followed.
“When you go through a life changing experience like that twice you start wanting to treat yourself better as you rediscover your life.”
This started with examining her life and addressing things she was unhappy about
within herself and in her relationships.
“I had incredible support from friends and an amazing family that stood by me through everything, even during the horrible times of chemo and my mastectomy. I drew strength to go on from all the love they gave me.”
It has been five years since Siedle had her right breast removed and she said she was proud to
be able to say, “I am a survivor. I have a positive mental attitude, good physical health and stay focused on my higher power”.
Siedle said she wished her mother had survived her own lung and brain cancer because she had been the one who encouraged her to regularly check her breasts for any abnormality.
S h e s a i d every woman should go for r e g u l a r check-ups because early detection saved her life, twice, and it could do the same for them.
“Most importantly, I stay true to who I am. I live, laugh, love and celebrate my life.”
