Project: Achieving Cancer Control Together (ACCT)
Organization: The Regents of the University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA

A Path to Strength - 邁向堅強之路
submitted by Donna Lin, Executive Director, Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center And Co-project Director, ACCT

Second Story written by Carol Wang, Cancer Control Program Manager of the Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center in Santa Ana, CA and Alice Koh, Program Director, of the Orange County Korean American Health Information & Education Center in Garden Grove, California.

“A Path to Strength" - “邁向堅強之路”

About a year ago, I was sitting in my office busy doing an endless amount of work that never seemed to get finished and picking up phone calls that also never seemed to come to an end. Upon answering one phone call from a lady, I could hear a soft voice crying in ChineseChinese, “為什麼是我? 為.什麼是我?” (Why me? Why me?) I was instantly calmed as the day’s busy and hectic atmosphere seemed to melt away. Things became clearer and everything began to make sense and fall into place. I told myself, "This lady needs help. You need to give her a hand."

Mrs. Chen told me that she was in her late 30s and recently discovered that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was currently undergoing chemotherapy. Due to the therapy, she lost all of her hair. She told me, “I am a young mother and my son is only 6 years old. I have a full time job. I have a happy family life, and I live in a very nice suburban area around here. I’m not fat and I’m an active person. Why me?! What did I do wrong? It’s not fair! 我不明白! (I don’t understand this at all!)” After a few minutes, Mrs. Chen calmed down and I told her, “We have a cancer support group available this coming Saturday. Would you like to go with me? You will find out there are others who have gone through the same situation and have overcome their fear of being cancer patients. They will be able to offer you their support and can relate to your situation. There you will find friends who are on the same path as you, and you won’t feel alone.” I also told her that we have a Chinese nutritionist presenting the topic for “how to eat right during your chemotherapy treatment.” To my surprise, Mrs. Chen agreed to attend our support group.

On the way going back to her house, Mrs. Chen is much happier and seems to have stepped out from under the dark clouds that were once looming over her and into bright, sun-filled skies. By the time we got to her house, she wanted to invite me for a cup of tea. I went in to her house and got to meet her mother who just came over from China. I grabbed the opportunity to introduce our Free Mammogram plus $10 Chinese supermarket gift certificate program to her. She replied, “You look at my daughter, 命運已定，該發生的也逃不掉. (Everyone’s fate is already sealed.)” She said, “I do not speak English. There is no way that I will stand naked in front of the foreign doctor for mammogram.” I told her, “you do not have to be afraid because a Chinese woman from our staff will be your private interpreter when you are taking the mammogram.”

This past March there was a Diversity Conference organized by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. One of the events that day included a fashion show with representatives from various ethnic groups. I invited Mrs. Chen to represent the Chinese community wearing the traditional Chinese qipaos (旗袍). During the fashion show, as we were both walking down the runway, I softly told her, “You look so beautiful.” She whispered back to me, “Do you know I’m wearing a wig?” I said, “Wow! It looks so real and fashionable. I’m so proud of you!” and she gave me a big smile that lit up the entire room.

Second Story

Mrs. Lee (not her real name) knew of her diagnosis for some time. She had cancer but was so afraid to talk to anyone, ask questions about potential treatment, and find support. She lived alone with her diagnosis not wanting to talk to anyone about it.

One day her husband contacted OCKAHIEC (The Orange County Korean American Health Information and Education Center) asking various questions, not specific to breast cancer, but about other health topics such as calcium deposits that may lead to breast cancer. He never even brought up the subject until Wendy Yoo began to ask him more questions and found out about his wife’s diagnosis. OCKAHIEC began to work with the couple and their family to obtain treatment, support, and management services. OCKAHIEC provided patient navigation and medical interpreting to help Mrs. Lee improve her access to her health care and better understand what was happening to her.

Although in the beginning she resisted talking about her diagnosis of breast cancer, through OCKAHIEC’s patient navigation and support she began to feel more comfortable and confident. One day after choir practice she began to open up and talk to her fellow choir members, many whom were her close friends, about her struggles and hardship of going through treatment. Her friends became her support and other women began to open up and share their experiences. She realized that talking and connecting with others helped her with her survivorship. She then began to advocate for other women and help them understand their treatment options and resources available.

Today, Mrs. Lee is one of OCKAHIEC’s strongest peer advocates, educating many other women and their families in the community about cancer screening and treatment. In addition, her choir group were so inspired by her work and OCKAHIEC that they began to do benefit performances for OCKAHIEC and educate others at their choral events about cancer. The women of the choir even gathered and knitted hats and donated to groups supporting women going through treatment and losing their hair. Mrs. Lee truly became an advocate of breast cancer for the Korean community and continues to advocate for women and encourage women to get screened.

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