By Kim Hilsenbeck.
Jerusha Vaz of San Marcos sometimes feels decidedly un-fabulous. But she is still honored to be considered one of Komen Foundation’s Fab 15.
Her journey to fabulousness took nearly two years – with uncertainty, chemotherapy, surgery, pneumonia, anxiety, radiation and hair loss along the way.
After finding a lump in her breast during a self-examination in Dec. 2011, Vaz wondered, “Now what?”
Someone told her about Community Action Network (CAN) in San Marcos. Vaz called and was approved for a mammogram at Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC). A biopsy in early 2012 confirmed
she was in stage three breast cancer.
This Jamaican, who is on a student visa at Texas State University, found herself unemployed with no health insurance and unable to qualify for Medicaid. She started school in 2003, aiming for a
Above, Jerusha Vaz, sitting, got help from friends in San Marcos through the WINGS program. At top, Vaz, front row in pink hat, took a journey to fabulousness. It involved uncertainty, chemotherapy, surgery, pneumonia, anxiety, radiation and hair loss. She’s now part of the the Komen Foundation Fab 15 - cancer survivors who help other women on their own journey with cancer. (Courtesy photos) |
degree in biology and a minor in chemistry.
Following her diagnosis, Vaz said Community Action referred her to a group called WINGS – women involved in nurturing, giving, sharing.
“They work with women who are under or uninsured,” she said. “I was referred to them because I did not qualify for Medicaid because of my [lack of] citizen status.”
Vaz said she sent in her application on a Thursday and received approved by the following Tuesday.
“I had an appointment with an oncologist, Dr. Rene Castille; WINGS took care of all the treatments,” she said.
The Komen Foundation and CAN fund WINGS through foundation money, according to Vaz.
A CAT scan revealed some of her lymph nodes tested positive for cancer. Over the next five months, Vaz went through 16 rounds of chemotherapy almost continuously, with the exception of about two weeks when she came down with pneumonia and had to take medication.
She lost all her hair during the chemo in 2012.
“They call it ‘Red Kool-Aid,’” Vaz said. “The first four rounds were very hard. The last 12 rounds weren’t as bad.”
And just getting to the appointments was sometimes challenging. With most of her family back in Jamaica, Vaz relied on WINGS and friends. A woman named Lori would take her to chemo treatments.
A nephew who lives in Austin also came down six times to take her to treatments. One of her brothers, a doctor, lives in Dallas.
“He visited a few times, but he’s busy,” she said.
She also has brothers in Florida and New York, but it was logistically rough for any of them to be with Vaz during most of her ordeal.
Vaz also went through surgery, radiation and post treatment.
She said she wouldn’t have survived her cancer fight if it had not have been for Kerry Worthy, Lydia Perez and Claudia Cantu.
“Those are my three angels,” Vaz said.
She also credits her friendship with Amanda Walker. The two befriended each other and formed their own survivor group.
“I call her my ‘breast friend’. We bonded, I tell you. I was a month or two ahead in treatment. We compared notes. It’s really good when you have someone who’s been through it,” Vaz said.
Last August, Vaz had a mastectomy. She then went through 34 rounds of radiation between October and November. She will be on Tamoxifin for five years.
So challenging was the treatment and surgery, Vaz said, “I wouldn’t wish this on my enemy.”
But her diagnosis and subsequent treatment forced Vaz to revaluate her life, her aspirations and her decisions. She said she had a lot of stress in her life and thinks it played a part in her cancer.
“Stress is a killer,” she said. “I learned to deal with it – it makes you tough to go through cancer. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore.”
Vaz is using her story and experience as part of the Fab 15 – cancer survivors who have done well in treatment. Some are still going through it.
“I continue to reach out to people. Community Action usually gives me phone numbers of people who want to talk, or need someone to hold their hand during a test or treatment,” she said. “These are people I don’t know. I encourage them. Let me just hug you. I enjoy doing that.”
She said there are women her age, as well as a student who was 23. There was also a football player of about 20 or 22.
Vaz said the Fab 15 help spread the word of the Komen Foundation. They encourage other women and provide hope for them.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I hadn’t found Komen, WINGS and Community Action. It’s a scary thing to go through. But once you see light at the end of the tunnel, it’s a ray of hope.”
