This article was created in partnership with Merck. Shalena did not receive any Merck products for her treatment for cancer.
In the fall of 2013, Shalena Prude could feel some physical shifts in her body. “I didn’t necessarily know what was happening. I just knew that I felt tired a lot. I was under some stress, which I was trying to manage with exercise, eating right, and just trying to be mindful of my body—aware of the things happening to it,” she says. “Then I discovered the lump in my left breast.” After a mammogram and a biopsy, Prude was diagnosed with stage II triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
The call came as she was on her way to the grocery store. Stunned, Prude called her mom, who had raised her and her brother as a single mother. She had instilled in them a strong work ethic and an ability to be forward-thinking, which would serve Prude well during her breast cancer journey.
“You’re not alone. We’ll be there with you every step of the way,” her mother said upon receiving the news. “I went home and cried,” Prude recalls. “And the next day I woke up with the mindset of ‘How are you going to deal with this?’”
Now, Prude looks back at her experience with TNBC and what she has learned from her diagnosis, cancer journey, the people in her life, and herself. Here, she shares what she wants people to know about the disease.
Talk To Your Doctor Right Away, Don’t Delay
Prude emphasizes the importance of getting any lumps or other abnormalities checked out by a doctor as soon as you feel them. If the doctor says nothing’s wrong but you feel like something isn’t right, seek a second opinion.
Prude knew she wanted a healthcare team with whom she felt comfortable asking questions and collaborating. Step one was assembling this team.
Find Trust In Those Around You And In Yourself
Prude’s internal-medicine doctor referred her to a breast surgeon, and from there she was referred to her oncologist. With the three of those doctors onboard, she felt she had a great medical team, which made her more at ease. “Building the right TNBC team was so vital. They were my cheerleaders and helped me stay positive,” she recalls. “They were very comforting in explaining next steps. Whenever I went to an appointment whether that was my internal doctor, breast surgeon, or oncologist, I could ask as many questions as I wanted. They never said the journey would be easy, but they’d be there when I needed them.”
Prude continued to have active discussions with her doctors throughout her cancer journey, which made her feel even more comfortable with the process. “My physicians checked in on me along the way and made sure I felt alright emotionally,” she says. “I understood that I had to keep thinking on the bright side for the sake of my own well-being.”
“On top of amazing doctors, I also have an incredible support system,” says Prude. Her mother, aunt, and friends helped drive her to and from appointments. “My family members were my top supporters, and that still holds true today,” she says. “It hasn’t changed. I wouldn’t have been able to go through this journey without them.”
Cancer Doesn’t Have a Face
When she received her diagnosis, Prude couldn’t believe that this was happening to someone as healthy and accomplished as she was. “It literally taught me humility,” she says, “I had to change my mindset and understand that cancer doesn’t have a face.” Prude realized that other women affected by this disease likely felt the same way she did. “I needed to have that tenacity and stay strong to face each day.”
Celebrating The Little Moments
“Breast cancer taught me to appreciate the small things,” Prude says. “I do that through travel, I do that through exploration, I do that through the things I love: roller skating and salsa dancing.”
“Now, I advocate for women to go to the doctor as soon as they feel a lump, and if they’re diagnosed with breast cancer, to work with their care team on a path forward that feels right for them,” she continues. But Prude also wants women to tell their stories and connect with others in the breast cancer community, to ensure that women are supporting one another. “It’s so important to me,” she says. “I definitely hope that I have made an impact on the world.”
This article was created in partnership with Merck. Shalena did not receive any Merck products for her treatment for cancer.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with TNBC, talk to your doctor about all your treatment options. For more information about a potential treatment option, see here.
