My Life Matters - Fall 2021 - 11

COMMUNITY The Power of One
I
am Sharon Kidd, affectionately known as Daisy May. I am 32-year-old Metastatic Breast
Cancer Thriver! I am the mother of a beautiful, bold and brilliant girl, Carter, and a loveable,
lively and loyal pup son, Rufus. I was originally diagnosed with Invasive Lobular
Carcinoma stage III, triple negative breast cancer in September of 2019. At the time of my
diagnosis I felt completely heart-broken, afraid and anxious. I looked to my community
to uplift me during my time of need. And they did! My community consisted of my immediate
family and a few close friends.
As I began treatment, my community evolved. I received majority of my treatment at a
small facility where the staff took pride in knowing their patients. They knew my name! They
were able to identify me even with a mask on, and that made going to treatment that much
more manageable on the days that I did not feel my best. The treatment center believed in
continuity of care, which meant, I was seen by the same nursing staff as much as possible. I
formed relationships with the nursing staff
and it provided me with a sense of comfort
to know that they cared about my well-being
and quality of life. They worked hand in hand
with me, my family and with the oncologist
to ensure that I was getting the best medical
treatment possible.
My medical staff has become a very important
part of my community. Just as I
would keep my non-medical network abreast
of what was happening medically, I would
keep my medical team abreast of what was
happening personally so they have the proper
information to make the appropriate decisions
regarding treatment dates, so I can have
the best quality of life. In order to keep my
network informed without having to make
over 20 calls, I began to blog about my experience
on social media. I wanted my support
system to be included in this journey so they
could keep me motivated to push through
the emotional and physical despair at times.
Most importantly, I wanted to share my story
so other cancer survivors and thrivers would
not feel alone in their cancer journey.
We need others to survive, whether we
are battling a life-threatening disease or
managing typical life problems. When living
with a tough situation or fighting a serious
health battle, having a supportive community
increases hope, decreases stress, and allows
space for others to assist with tasks and errands
occasionally. Being a " Strong Black
Woman " , it was hard to let my supporters
know that I needed help, and it was even
harder to ask them for help in the beginning.
I received a lot of " I'm here if you need me "
and " let me know if you need anything "
messages, but I was reluctant to respond to
them, despite the fact that they came from
people in my supportive community.
After my mastectomy, which was completed
on my dominant side, I was more willing to
MY LIFE MATTERS
FALL 2021
11
accept the help my community was offering.
I had no choice. The healing process was a
humbling experience for me since I was so
used to living independently and doing everything
on my own. Being physically unable
to complete a number of normal household
tasks forced me to lean into the discomfort
of asking for and receiving help. Ultimately,
asking for help had multiple benefits. I would
get some chores done and have the opportunity
to spend time catching up with loved
ones. Talking with my support community
" We need others to survive, whether we are battling a
life-threatening disease or managing typical life problems.
Having a supportive community increases hope,
decreases stress, and allows space for others to assist... "

My Life Matters - Fall 2021

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