Rosa Yancey: Emerging Whole From Breast Cancer

— By Mary Ann Noe

September 18, 2024

Some people reach the end of their cancer treatments and say, “Whew! Now I can go on with my life!”, while others may say, “Now, what did I learn from all that? What’s the ‘new me’ like, and where am I going from here?”

Rosa Yancey went into her breast cancer journey as an LPN and was diagnosed in 2023. She is now 29 years-old and married but lost her son’s father earlier to heart disease. Her world seemed to be falling apart. However, with her new marriage, and the dogged support of both her husband and her mother-in-law, she moved into treatment, including a mastectomy and reconstruction, and recovery surrounded by strength and supported by ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis. She credits her mother-in-law — “God put her in my life for a reason”— with a major reason she was saved. 

Rosa felt that her healthcare team treated her well physically, but she wanted more.  Because she is a nurse, she did her own research and here is where ABCD stepped in, matching her with a Mentor, Stephanie, who offered useful recommendations. One of the best things for Rosa was being told she was not alone — that she was part of a group, a community. Rosa’s Mentor Stephanie was a resource in more than one way. She helped Rosa compare her journey with other’s journeys and checked on Rosa’s feelings of survivor’s guilt. When Rosa was out of work, her Mentor helped uncover financial resources she might not have found otherwise, for essentials such as cleaning services, rent, and so forth.

Upon reaching the end of her cancer treatment, Rosa took stock. “What did I learn? What is new? Where do I go from here?” She felt compelled to reach out to and teach others. She will graduate in June 2025 with an RN degree and is working at the Cancer Exercise Training Institute to be a certified specialist in cancer exercise training. This aspect comes naturally to her, as she is also a professional dancer in ballet, hip-hop, jazz, and other styles.

While one of her greatest joys was when she was able to return to the dance studio after her reconstruction, her biggest surprise is that she can paint. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was cooped up, of course, and decided to pick up a paintbrush, something she never did before. Her bright paintings burst with color—rainbows, butterflies, strings of lights, musical staffs—and certainly reflect her gratitude and delight at emerging whole from a very tough journey.

Now, Rosa goes out with her pink breast cancer awareness earrings and her sparkling smile. She brings her message of a better life out there to those, like her, who face a cancer treatment journey. And like her ABCD Mentor, Rosa is ready to reach out and help others as a new RN.

Rosa was diagnosed with Stage 1 Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, ER+ PR- HER2-. She had a bilateral mastectomy with implant reconstruction.