Believe… 
in Good Vibes, Laughter, Love, Prayers, Tears, and Faith!
Maria Sandoval
I could’ve never imagined being diagnosed at 30 in the middle of a pandemic with stage 3 TNBC.
For years, I had been feeling weird, and all I would hear was that it was my low vitamin D. I experienced episodes of complete blindness, pain in my left arm, and finally two lumps. After begging for scans, I ended up having an ultrasound, biopsies, a mammogram, and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I’ve had five months of chemo, six surgeries, and 25 sessions of radiation. I lost all of my hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, and said goodbye to my breasts. I’ve been called a sir and cried a few tears alone while my family waited for me at home. With three kids under the age of six, I was scared of not seeing them grow.
I’ve reached my 5th year mark since my diagnosis. I know that living to tell my story is a privilege denied to many, and my plan is to tell my story not to scare anyone but to tell everyone to always advocate for yourself, listen to your body, and live! Always stay positive and let God take the wheel.
I will forever say, if I lose my faith, I lose my battle!
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