Christina Turner

It's August 25, 2006, and from this day forward my life would never be the same.  I would have never thought at the age of 30 years old that I would ever be told that I had breast cancer, but indeed the test results were clear.  I remember looking at my doctor while trying to hold back my tears at the same time to ask this one question, "Am I going to die?"  As I waited for the answer, I felt my heart stop, and my life suddenly coming to a halt.  For that brief moment of silence, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to hear the answer.  My doctor looked at me and said, "Christina, you're not going to die." I looked at my doctor and although I saw his mouth moving, I heard nothing but my heart and pulse, and felt nothing but numbness flow throughout my body.  My body language read strength but inside I was truly scared.

A single mother of three beautiful girls, I was faced with the reality that I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.  I was the first in my family to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and did not understand how or why I had this disease.  With many things running through my mind such as how I tell my girls their mommy and only sole provider has breast cancer.  Or how do I explain to my family and friends that I am sick, but look healthy.  For a long time I tried to put my personal sufferings and devastations to the side because I knew I had to dig deep down within to carry enough strength for all of us.  As much as I tried to carry that strength for all of us, I knew I couldn't do it alone.  The help from my dear mother, family, friends, was great and very much appreciated but I needed something more.  I needed to know that I was not alone and that there was someone that has fought the same battle I was fighting at the time.

I stumbled upon contact information for Michelle's Place.  After many days hesitation I finally challenged myself to go to Michelle's Place and it was one of the best choices I could have ever made during such difficult times.  The staff at Michelle's Place was incredible, remarkable, and they instantly made me feel like family.  Due to the Michelle's Place impressionable reputation for cancer support, I found my two survivor sisters Candice Nagel and Teresa Moreno.  Candice's mother, who is a Michelle's Place volunteer, heard my story and immediately gave me her daughter's number for support since she also was diagnosed with breast cancer around the same age as I.  Through Candice I met Teresa who was also a young breast cancer survivor.  Others may see these ladies as strangers, but I assure you they are far from strangers to me.  These two wonderful ladies did not even know me but opened their hearts to listen to my story and share their own.  The helped me realize that I was not in the fight alone and that their support was always available to me when in need.

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