Angela Jones-Hunte: Cancer can never win

VALDEEN SHEARS

There ought to be no shame or secrecy when it comes to battling cancer.

If Amanda Jones-Hunte didn't believe this, she may not have been alive today.

The La Brea resident, credits her victory over this dreaded disease to faith, being open with her employer and early detection.

Add this to having a strong familial and friend support system and preparing herself for battle, a smiling Jones-Hunte said, "Cancer could never win."

The mother of two spoke to WMN with outright candour.

In March 2013, the accounts supervisor discovered a lump in her breast and immediately called her mother, Cynthia Taylor, who advised her to visit her doctor.

At that time, she said, she was separated from her husband, Leon, who was working in Venezuela. Jones-Hunte also informed her employer, Feraz Ali, as she needed the time off from work to visit her doctor. She said, he was compassionate and readily accommodating.

In the weeks that followed her first doctor visit, Jones-Hunte had a mammogram done and was told by her doctor that all was well, that she "could live with the lump".

Jones-Hunte informed Ali of her doctor’s advice and he referred her to his private doctor for a second opinion. She was subsequently referred to Dr Shah, head surgeon of the breast clinic at the San Fernando General Hospital, where she became an outpatient of the clinic.

One month after feeling the lump, Jones-Hunte had a biopsy done to determine if it was malignant or benign. The results came back two weeks later.

"It was around after 11 am when my name was called to see one of the doctors, who asked me to sit down, then turned to me and sighed. I felt a sick feeling in my gut and I knew something was wrong. He asked if anyone was with me, I told him no. He looked at my file for a while then he informed me that the lump was cancerous, at Stage one, could be removed and the breast be treated using chemo and radiation. I silently prayed and asked God to take control of the situation. I was taken back to see Dr Shah, who advised I be scheduled for the nearest surgery date and that I continue with my weekly visits at the clinic," she recalled.

Jones-Hunte said this is where her family's support was most pronounced.

She shared the sombre news with them and they all took it in stride, offering support, whenever and wherever she needed it.

Her parents, she said, immediately offered to take her two children to stay with them while she attended clinic.

"This bought me some comfort as my concerns were for my kids; they were eight years and seven years at the time. Later that night I told my brother, who lived downstairs my parents’ house with his family. He was upset, but assured his support. A couple of days later my husband called and I told him what was going on, he could not believe it and I remember hearing him sobbing over the phone. I told him not to worry everything would be alright," she said.

Her family then decided that Jones-Hunte's battle was a collective one and that they would fight with faith.

"Because of my family’s strong spiritual beliefs my parents decided that every morning at 6 am we would pray and have communion together. I think that because of this I was able to find the strength to cope and take things one day at a time without worrying too much about the end results," she recalled fondly.

Two weeks later she had a lumpectomy, and nearby tissue was sent for testing. Sometime in mid-July, doctors found the presence of additional cancer cells.

"I remember asking him (God) to spare my life so that I can see my children graduate from secondary school. During all this time I never once cried or asked God why did this happen to me even though, I don’t drink, smoke or even lime," she said.

A second surgery was performed and this time doctors gave her the all clear.

The next phase was chemotherapy and radiation. "My first chemo session started in September 2013, it was the first of eight sessions. I must admit I was nervous as I wasn’t sure what to expect and how I would feel. My husband would take to me to clinic very early and my sister and one of my aunts were there during every session. This meant a lot to me, they made the sacrifice and took time off from their jobs to be there every time."

Jones-Hunte's hair eventually began to shed and even though she had mentally prepared herself for it, the reality of it left her in tears.

"I remember a few days after my first chemo when I passed my comb through my hair and I came out in junks, I cried and cried. I think that during this time is when it really dawned on me that this was for real and that I was in this situation. It hurt even more when my son looked at me a couple days after and he said to me 'mommy I don’t want you to lose your hair' and he started crying. I reassured him that it would grow back." When her children asked her if she was going to die, Jones-Hunte said it took all of her faith to reassure them that God was healing her completely.

Her last chemo session was in December 2013, and she was then sent to the St James Radiation Centre to complete her treatment.

This was achieved after 25 sessions of radiation from May 2014.

Jones-Hunte said prior to her diagnosis, two of her cousins had died of bone and throat cancer. She had also lost her aunt, Anita Jones, to Stage 4 cervical cancer in 2015.

"I did make major changes in the way I prepared my foods. I now use more natural seasonings and drink more water, something I did not do before. More steamed vegetables and less meat," she noted. She dutifully has a yearly mammogram done and follow up visits with her doctors.

While opting, not to join any support groups, Jones-Hunte, doesn't believe that there is any healthcare facility available in Point Fortin to truly support or assist people with cancer.

"Persons in this situation must go to San Fernando, which already is over-crowded and under staffed. I am hoping that with the new hospital this would become available to the people of Point Fortin and environs. I think the government should provide more facilities throughout the country to treat persons with cancer because when you go to the clinic that are now available, you sometimes spend the entire day waiting to be treated and imagine not feeling well and having to wait for so many hours. It can be a horrible experience," she lamented.

She said her illness did do some good as it succeeded in bringing her family closer together. She and her husband learnt to appreciate each other even more and never to take life or each other for granted. She said she will be eternally grateful to all the people who helped and supported her throughout the journey. As for others who are either still fighting or have survived, Jones-Hunte advised that prayers, perseverance and a fighting attitude are key to waging war on this dreaded disease.

"Remember that this battle will not just affect you, but also the one’s closest to you especially when young children are involved, so this ought to be one of your motivation to beat cancer and win the battle," she said.

Photos courtesy Angela Jones-Hunte