Kim Quijano | Miami Herald

I am a two-time breast cancer survivor. The first time I got cancer I was a housewife and mother of three little girls and pregnant with my fourth child. That was a very devastating time in my life. I went through surgery while I was pregnant and delivered a healthy baby boy one month early in order to receive chemotherapy treatments. Then several years later after I had settled back into my life, raising my family and gone back to taking dance classes, I developed breast cancer again. I thought, oh no not again. I had to put my life on hold and go through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments again which I really did not want to do but I did.

Well it is twelve years later, my kids have grown and I'm back to my favorite hobby of dance. I still take classes and am a member of SunDanz dance group, which has performed at Breast Cancer Walks and several Relay for Life events throughout the area.

Due to a strong family history of breast cancer, (my mother and aunts who have passed on) I have gone through genetic testing and found out that I do have the breast cancer gene. I keep up with my regular medical check ups, yearly mammogram and have been made more aware of other medical options available in the fight against breast cancer. There is life after breast cancer. Kim QuijanoTwo-time Breast Cancer Survivor