Araceli V., Looking to the Future with Hope

免責事項：Know Your Lemonsは、乳がん患者が共有する経験や物語を深く尊重します。これらの体験談に記載されているアドバイス、記述、事実は、必ずしも医学的な専門知識と一致するものではありませんし、すべての個人の状況に普遍的に適用されるものでもありません。乳がんは複雑で非常に個人差のある病状であり、これらの体験談は貴重な洞察や精神的な支えになりますが、専門的な医療アドバイスや治療の代わりになるものではありません。乳がんの診断、治療、管理に関する個別のガイダンスと意思決定については、常に資格を有する医療提供者にご相談ください。Know Your Lemonsは、乳がんに罹患した人々にとって最善のケアと転帰が得られるよう、患者、介護者、医療従事者の協力的なアプローチを奨励しています。

My name is Araceli Vargas, and my story is one of courage, resilience, and benefiting from taking time to be still and listen to my body. At just 27 years old, my journey with breast cancer began when I discovered a lump in my left breast. It felt hard and oddly shaped, like a horizontal line. Initially, doctors reassured me it was benign, even diagnosing it as a “fibroadenoma” that didn’t require immediate concern. However, I noticed additional symptoms, including nipple discharge, and persisted in seeking answers. Encouraged by my sister, I underwent an MRI, which ultimately revealed a malignant tumor requiring immediate action.

In October of last year, I was diagnosed with stage 3A Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. My tumor measured an alarming 9.5 cm, with five of thirteen lymph nodes testing positive. Despite the overwhelming diagnosis, I faced it head-on. I underwent a double mastectomy, six months of chemotherapy, and 28 rounds of radiation. Through it all, my faith, the love of my husband and son, and my determination to keep fighting provided me with unshakable strength.

My positive outlook helped me find light in the darkest times. This journey has taught me to trust my body, be persistent, and remain hopeful. Today, I am proud to have completed my treatments and am looking forward to full recovery following my recent DIEP flap reconstruction surgery. 

The Know Your Lemons Foundation helps empower people with the knowledge to perform self-exams and recognize the signs of breast cancer. As a follower of them on Instagram, I learned about the 12 signs of breast cancer and how to properly conduct self-checks. Also would like to emphasize the importance of breast health tools like the Know Your Lemons app, which provide life-saving guidance for women and men.

I want to share my story to encourage others to be self advocates. If something doesn’t feel right with your body, be persistent. Listen to your body and watch symptoms closely. I also want to encourage others to keep fighting no matter how hard it is, have faith, I promise it will get better! I think it is very important to be positive throughout this journey. I found beauty in such a difficult time of distress in my life. I believe everything happens for a reason and there is a purpose behind all of this. I would love to help other women going through this journey in life. I’m looking forward to being done with surgery and head on to my road of recovery. Hang in there warriors! You got this! Prayers and blessings💕Download the Know Your Lemons app today to learn the 12 signs of breast cancer and start your journey toward empowerment and early detection.