Julia Álamo

Julia Alamo is a breast cancer survivor.

I became a breast cancer survivor in 2003 when I was diagnosed with cancer.

When I found out I had cancer in my breast, the first thing I thought of was my children. I said “I’m going to live for my children and I’m going got fight this disease, this cancer.” I’m here helping myself and my children and the people who help me a lot. I can help other people. I’m going to do this to help other women with cancer.

My children, they were the most important thing. I thought about them and I said, “I’m going to fight this. Cancer, he’s not going to beat me. I’m going to win and here I am.”

When I found out I had cancer I thought about myself a lot. I thought without my breast it doesn’t matter to me. I want to live for me, my children and my family. I went to have my breast done and my husband told me, “It doesn’t matter to me without a breast. I want you alive.” I felt so emotional. I said, “I am going to live and I’m going to be here for many years, helping other women with what I’ve been through.”

Thanks to God that I am here. I am here still. I can do something and I’m going to do it for other women.

When I found out that I was a survivor I said, “I’m going to help other women. If I could do it, many other people can do it,” and to live is fantastic.

My children, they made me live. Every day that they look at me, they make me happy. My brother, my sister and my husband, they are my life. And if I can help other women, I’ll do it.

My family, we are very tight, and when there’s a lot of love, it’s there. And they understand. My brother, he is my best friend. My brother and my father and they’re always there with me.

I’m here and I’m going to live. If I stop to think it’s going to be worse, I’m going to get sick, and my children are going to see me very depressed I don’t want that.

I go do things, things I like. I go shopping, I fix my hair, I do my nails, I walk and I go to the park.

When they did my mastectomy, I didn’t like my body. But they gave me the “flap” and they put in an implant. Then it looked better than the other one. So now I like my body but at first I didn’t like it. Now I can put things on, open blouses, and I feel good now. I can teach other women what they did to me. I do it so they have the desire to live. There are women who, when they take out their breast, don’t want to live. There are lots of things out there that can help them

It hurt a lot when that happened to me. I didn’t feel good. I got very depressed. My hand hurt a lot but now I’m well, thanks to God.

My daughter was 3 years old. That was a lot of stress because I wanted to do a lot of things for her but I couldn’t do anything because of my arm. That gave me a lot of stress, and the boys too.

To get over that I said, “I’m going to fight this and I’m going to keep going. I’m not going to let anything bother me. I am going to live.”

At the beginning I went looking for help and it was CancerCare. I learned so many things. What I was going through lots of people were going through. Now I understand. I understand what I’m going through other women are also going through. My family didn’t know how I felt but the support group helped me a lot. The support helped me a lot.

Seeking help is very important. You are going to meet a lot of people because it’s the same as what you’re going through. My family hasn’t changed. My family treats me as though I’m the oldest. They worry about me every day. Every day they call and always say, “I love you, I love you.” That’s the word in my house, “I love you a lot.”

To live with strength is thinking that the next day you’re going to be stronger.

Strength is to make myself stronger. I get stronger every day seeing the faces of my children - those 4 kids of mine and the 2 grandchildren that I love so much and my husband. I see them every morning and I say, “I’m going to make myself strong for me, my children and other people and to help all the people I can and that God blesses them for me.”

People think that with cancer you’re going to die but you can live. My mom died of cancer and I know that there are a lot of medicines and they’re going to cure lots of people. I have a lot of faith in God because God performs many miracles.

This story I’m doing it for myself and for others, and if someday you want to talk with me I am here. If I have to cry with you and if I have to talk with you and if I have to be everything, I am going to be here with my arms open for you.

My name is Julia Álamo. I am a survivor of breast cancer in the year 2003.