Only someone who has battled depression can understand the
sheer darkness of it. Every day when you find the strength to open your eyes,
you’re at the bottom of the same pit of despair. You have to squint to be able
to see even a sliver of light.
I’ve struggled with chronic depression for most of my life.
At one point in college, I reached such a low that I tried to take my own life.
After spending three weeks in the hospital, there was still
a cloud of depression looming over me. I wasn’t capable of making good
decisions. My judgment was not only poor, but it was dangerous at times. I
actually married an abusive man from whom I had to go into hiding to escape.
Fast forward fifteen years, a caring husband, and a breast cancer
diagnosis later.
Little did I know that my new enemy would become my
strongest ally in my lifelong battle against depression; the irony is surreal when I really think about it.
Grateful is a strong word, but I will say that I’m not sorry
I was diagnosed with cancer. I feel that cancer was my own personal saving
grace. It served a purpose in my life—if nothing else, as a bridge to manage my
depression.
Faced with my own mortality at the age of 41, I was terrified
of leaving this world without leaving a mark.
Where was that suicidal college student? Now, she was
willing to do anything to preserve her life when at one time she tried to throw
it away.
I wasn’t prepared to settle for my life being for nothing.
Suffering in silence was not an option any longer. This challenge was bigger
than me, and I had to come out of hiding and share my voice with the world.
During my treatments and my surgery, I launched an online
community called My Personal Breast Cancer Journey. The tagline, We’re In This Together, does a good job of summing
it all up. MyPersonalBreastCancerJourney.com
is a club nobody wants to be a member of, but it does provide a tremendous amount
of support for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and survivors alike,
across the world.
Helping these women, who are in the same spot I found myself
in last year, gives me something to occupy my mind, helps me to remain positive
on my darkest days, and these survivor stories fill me with inspiration.
Cancer helped me manage my depression and identify my
purpose in life, which I believe is to help other women work through their
fight with breast cancer to not only survive, but to thrive and to find their
own raison d'être. To let them know they aren’t in this alone and I’m always
ready to provide a big hug for each of them even if it’s virtual.
Whatever obstacle you face, be it cancer, a deteriorating
relationship or another type of tragedy; find a way to use it as a springboard
instead of looking at it as a sentence. Use it to make your life better instead
of worse. And seek support from others going through the same thing.
If you are recently diagnosed with breast cancer or a
survior, grab your free guide here:
If you know someone who has been recently diagnosed and you
want to help, receive a free copy of:
MyPersonalBreastCancerJourney.com
is an online resource and community for women affected by breast cancer. It was
founded by strong, beautiful survivor, Sandy Bobal-Zuniga. We’re in this
together.
Bio: In her early 20s, Sandy Bobal-Zuniga was willing to take her
own life to escape the hell of chronic depression she was living in. Fifteen
years later, she was prepared to do anything in her power to win her battle
against Stage 2 breast cancer.
Faced with
her own mortality, Sandy was afraid to die without leaving a positive mark on
the world. Before opting to undergo a single mastectomy, Sandy vowed that if
she survived cancer and its havoc-wreaking treatments, she would create an
organization that would educate, empower, advocate for and support women affected by
breast cancer.
As founder and Chief Hug
Officer of My Personal Breast Cancer Journey, Sandy is helping women
around the world survive and then thrive.
Sandy is dedicating her life to creating a legacy of
compassion for women who are diagnosed until there is a world free of breast
cancer. MyPersonalBreastCancerJourney.com
No comments:
Post a Comment