What happened, in summary

Nelly, from Colombia, sought medical care after noticing a change in the shape of her breast and a lump. She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and felt frightened, nervous, vulnerable, and worried about what the illness would mean for her family.

Her doctors recommended mastectomy, lymph-node surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. Nelly described completing mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation and continuing hormone therapy after the main treatment ended. She said she was in remission and was not greatly affected by physical side effects.

The journey still created financial strain because she was supporting relatives and helping with elder care. After treatment, she worked on making healthier eating a lasting habit and spent more time with her family. Faith helped her manage fear of death and remain hopeful. She wanted to travel, return to work, start a small business, and encourage others to approach cancer with trust and resilience.