The Shoemaker Bugle

By: Mathew Ruiz

Kommah McDowell: Speaker #1

A breast cancer survivor named Koko was diagnosed with breast cancer in the year of 2005. She had just gotten engaged when she found the lump in her breast. Her doctors told her that she was too young to have cancer. Koko was diagnosed with late-stage inflammatory breast cancer which is a very aggressive cancer. She was then told that she had a five percent chance of surviving two years. Koko and her husband later learned that the chances of her getting pregnant were very low, given the treatment she’d have to go through. But Koko did not give up. She kept a positive mindset and exactly two years later she got surprising news, she was pregnant. Her miracle son, Christian, had changed her life in every way because it was a miracle. Now, Koko was completely cancer free, but she then found out that she had another lump in her breast. She was absolutely shocked that this had happened to her yet again, but she devoted herself to her family and started a fundraiser to raise money. Till this day, Koko beat cancer and she lives happily with her son and husband. I then asked her, “How did you feel when you found out you were diagnosed with cancer?” She then responded, “I was not afraid.” She also said, “Cancer was the best, worst thing that ever happened to me.”

Wendy Hammers: Speaker #2

A pancreatic cancer survivor named Wendy Hammers was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer more than 5 years ago. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was at a young age. The cancer was stage ½ I believe. She had a 6% chance of surviving. This is not something that she takes for granted. Wendy is grateful to be alive and healthy living in an amazing body. After she had just found out that she was diagnosed with cancer, her doctors did everything they could. She had a total of 12 rounds of chemotherapies and she said “I was afraid of needles.” Wendy said that after losing her dearest friend to cancer, she had gotten diagnosed with cancer as well at a later time. I asked Wendy, “Were you afraid of Cancer?” She then responded, “I was not. I knew that I was not alone in this and that everyone including myself was supporting me.” Her husband, son, family and everyone else supported her and it made her happy. She is an inspiring woman that also happens to be an actress, and has had roles in a couple of shows.