Regular check-ups helped Eileen Baker- Wright beat breast cancer

Nov 07, 2016 News

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By Enid Joaquin

Eileen Baker-Wright is petite, has a glowing complexion and an upbeat personality.
It’s hard to believe that she was once in the grip of two diseases-one debilitating, the other life threatening.
And one of them was breast cancer.
It was around 1998 that she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an auto immune disease. She was devastated with that diagnosis, as the disease was attacking her body to the point where normal movement was very restricted and excruciatingly painful.
At the time Eileen was living in the United States and she was about to retire from her job, where she functioned in a Managerial capacity. She reflected that there were days when the agony prevented her from even writing. Even simple tasks like putting on her clothing became a challenge, and so she had to depend on her husband to help her.
She admits that being an independent person, this new dependency was especially hard for her. She has since managed to overcome this ailment.

Then, three years later, a far more deadly disease struck.
“I had gone to the doctor because I had felt a lump, and I did a mammogram but it showed nothing; I was clear, but I felt something and so I insisted that I wanted to see a specialist, because I felt that something was wrong.”
She was subsequently referred to a specialist, who tried to “aspirate” but he couldn’t get any liquid out of the lump.
At the time, she was about to go on vacation, and her doctor encouraged her to do so. But after her return, Eileen’s doctor called her. Eileen said that she just knew that the diagnosis was not good. It wasn’t. She was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Was she devastated? Surprisingly, Eileen says no.
‘When I was diagnosed, it was unbelievable- I think I was in shock, because I’ve always taken good care of my health, so I certainly wasn’t expecting that diagnosis. But I knew I had to deal with it.”
A perpetual optimist, Eileen knew she was going to beat the disease, as she had overcome her rheumatoid arthritis.
“Having that problem, I think, somehow prepared me for cancer, because I felt if I could beat that (rheumatoid arthritis), I could beat anything.”
She subsequently had to undergo several tests to determine whether her body was ‘up to’ taking chemotherapy, and what type.
It was, as the doctor told her that despite the cancer, her body was in excellent shape.
Eileen confessed that the decision to take chemotherapy is never an easy one, but she was determined that she had to do it.
She would undergo two surgeries and received the chemotherapy for just under a year.
During that year, Eileen said that she took a lot of trips, as she was advised by her doctor to avoid stress.
And she continued working, even though she had been given over 300 sick hours. The chemotherapy she took on weekends.
She was also introduced to support groups, but Eileen confessed that she didn’t want to be around the groups,  as most of the members were very ill and had lost hope.
“That was not my case. Because I had been diagnosed early, the cancer was caught early, so no one was telling me about how long I had to live, so I had a lot of hope.”
A supportive family, friends and staff were enough support Eileen decided.
A year later Eileen was diagnosed cancer free, and fifteen years later still is.
Eileen stresses that early detection is important – as she is convinced that is what is responsible for her survival.” I’ve always done regular checkups and so the cancer was caught early, before it could spread.
“I still do my checkups. I’m accustomed to going to see my doctor even when I’m not sick, but when I ask friends whether they’ve done a checkup-they would say:  ‘but I’m not sick,’ and I would tell them, you don’t wait until you’re sick to do a checkup.
It is important to do regular checkups, and I would really like for people here, to develop the habit of going for regular examinations. “
Eileen warns that for those persons with hereditary factors, regular medical checks should be mandatory.
Today, she is on a mission to encourage and offer moral support to those that are afflicted by the disease.
She is often contacted by women who have been battling the disease.
Her words of advice: Pray, have faith and be optimistic, but above all, follow your doctor’s instructions to the tee.
As a survivor Eileen watches her diet, exercises regularly, prays and keeps busy.
A Surveillance Cancer Report which was unveiled last year by the Ministry of Public Health, revealed that breast cancer is responsible for the highest number of cancer related fatalities. This translated to 1,090 cases of breast cancer over the identified period.
After breast cancer, is cancer of the cervix which accounted for 1,014 cases; prostate (865 cases); colo-rectal (440 cases); uterus (325 cases); stomach (240 cases); lung (233 cases); liver (219 cases); ovary (212 cases) and lymphoma (136 cases). Breast Cancer awareness month was observed last month.

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