She chose life

In March of 2015 Candice Pierre-Sooklal had to make a decision that was a matter of life or death. She chose life for her unborn baby.

Pierre-Sooklal told WMN that shortly before receiving a diagnosis of Stage 2 breast cancer, she had felt a lump in her left breast and had it surgically removed and sent for testing. When the result came back she was advised it was malignant. She had another lumpectomy done in December 2014 and was scheduled to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment some weeks later.

“In March of 2015, I hadn’t started treatment yet and found out I was five weeks pregnant. It complicated the situation and I was advised to terminate the pregnancy because my life was more important. I decided to keep my baby and told them God will take care of us.”

But even with faith as strong as hers it was still an uphill battle. “Hearing that you have cancer is not something you want to hear. I cried a lot and was confused. I was sad at times, but in the midst of it all I pulled myself together to trust God to bring me through this. God always has a purpose and my pregnancy gave me more inspiration to fight. I had to live for my baby and for my other daughter, Christina, who was three at the time.”

She went through her pregnancy without any treatment but had to undergo a minor surgical procedure so the doctors could ensure that everything was okay with the baby. “They couldn’t risk major surgery during pregnancy because I would have had to go under anaesthetic for too long a period. I was about five months pregnant then.”

On October 25, 2015, the same day of her 31st birthday, Pierre-Sooklal delivered a baby girl. “I had no complications during the pregnancy. The doctors induced labour a month early and I had a natural birth. She was healthy and I was okay. It was the best birthday gift ever. We named her Faith Destiny Sooklal.”

One week later, the Human Resources clerk at the Caura hospital began chemotherapy, which went on for 12 weeks. However, a CT scan later revealed that the cancer had returned. "The doctors told me that because of my age my hormones were very active. That was part of the problems why it came back.”

In August of 2016 she decided on a mastectomy. “They did reconstructive surgery right away,” using a TRAM flap procedure. TRAM stands for transverse rectus abdominis, a muscle found in the lower abdomen between the waist and pubic bone. A flap of this skin, fat, and all or part of the underlying six pack muscle are used to reconstruct the breast. “After healing I did more cycles of chemo. When completed that I continued with hormone therapy to block the hormones from reproducing.”

But the cancer was as stubborn as they come. At the close of 2017, a CT scan revealed another lump, this time under her left arm. “They could not simply remove it because it was resting too close to the main artery under my arm.” So, it was back to chemotherapy for 12 weeks to shrink the tumour. “I completed chemotherapy in March, and in May of 2018 I had my fifth cancer-related surgery to remove the tumour. An axillary lymph node clearance,” also known as a lymph node dissection or a lymphadenectomy that involves the removal of all the lymph nodes and possible tumour containing tissue from the armpit. “I recovered for approximately two months and started radiation treatment in August. Twenty-five sessions in my arm and breast area.”

But the perilous journey is still not over for her. Pierre-Sooklal is now waiting for a CT scan to determine if the radiation treatment has helped to get rid of the malignant cells that had remained. “I am still continuing with the hormonal therapy. I’m taking more meds now to block hormones.”

And as strong as she is, she told WMN had it not been for her support network and her faith in God she may not have held up as well as she did. “Coping with chemo, being sick. Not flat in bed sick, but tired and fatigued all the time. Dealing with hair loss was horrible. I felt so unattractive. My husband, Godwin, used to inspire me by telling me I’m still beautiful. My parents and in laws are wonderful and made things easier for me. Thank God for that.”

Pierre-Sooklal said at the time of her diagnosis Christina was too young to understand what was happening so she did not burden her with it. “She had seen me in hospital and sick. My being away from home so frequently affected her and she told my mom she was sad I had to be in the hospital all the time. I just explained that it was just for a period of time. When she was five I started to explain what was happening. As time goes by and she gets older I will continue to talk to her about it. I think she is handling it well. I try to make things as normal as possible for them. Faith is still young but as she gets older I will explain to her.”

She is a member of two support groups that she said, “unfortunately keeps growing in numbers.” Enhancing All Real Survivors (EARS) Foundation and the Sangre Grande Oncology Support Group at the hospital. “I really want to commend and applaud the staff at the Sangre Grande hospital for the good work they do. For the past four years I have been taken care of in the best way. I call them the Oncology Angels.”

She uses her Facebook page, Faith Fight-Candice Pierre Sooklal to encourage men and women to get tested and screened. “Especially the men, don’t let your ego prevent you from getting tested. Be brave, pray and get tested.”