Nancy Faieta’s journey is one of strength, resilience, and hope. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she faced the challenges of treatment with courage and determination. Today, Nancy shares her story not only as a survivor, but as an inspiration to others who may be walking the same path.
I had the pleasure of speaking with this strong woman about her story, and the courage it must take to share a story like this is truly admirable. I first asked Nancy what her life was like before her diagnosis and how she got her diagnosis.
She was originally diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2013 during a busy time in her life. She was in the process of getting her son ready for his freshman year of college and helping her daughter recover from her recent back surgery.
Nancy has a background in the medical field, working as a respiratory therapist. She was actually the one to discover her cancer by performing a self-breast exam, which was something she did monthly.
On that occasion, she felt a lump and told herself she just simply didn’t have time for it. She put it on the back-burner until her daughter was fully recovered from her surgery. It was at that point, she got a mammogram. It revealed she did, in fact, have breast cancer.
Fortunately, her treatment was successful.
However, nine years later, shortly before her son’s wedding, Nancy felt another lump in her breast. (Once again by doing a self-breast examination)
When asked how she survived such an ordeal twice, she responded without hesitation, “God never let me down. He was there for me the whole time. I was also surrounded by a great crowd of people – my family and close friends.”
She added, “All of my colleagues at work were there for me as well. I just dealt with it through my faith and the people around me.”
The one thing she really wants people to understand is the importance of self-breast exams. “Be proactive about your health and taking care of yourself, keep yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy.”
Nancy’s journey is a powerful reminder that hope and resilience can shine even in the darkest moments. By sharing her story, Nancy shows that survivorship is not just about overcoming cancer—it’s about embracing life with renewed purpose and gratitude.
