AURORA, Colo. — An Aurora breast cancer survivor is turning her journey into action by making an impact on people dealing with the disease.
With the smile painted across Jackie Wesley’s face, you would not be able to tell she is a 21-year breast cancer survivor.
“What am I supposed to do with breast cancer?” Wesley asked herself after getting diagnosed. “Because I was stage three triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma. So, I had to have a bilateral mastectomy. I had to have all my chest cavity [and] tissue removed. I had a reconstruction,” Wesley said.
During Wesley’s battle with cancer, she said it just wasn’t her husband and family that kept her going. She said she also got help from a higher power.
“You know, the word of God says that he's a healer. He's a deliverer. So, I had to rely on those things in order to move forward with what I had to do,” she said.
Wesley said that her faith also caused her to launch a nonprofit called Fighting Together to Save Lives.
“I didn't want anybody to be diagnosed and didn't have anyone to talk to. So, Fighting Together to Save Lives was birthed. And we have been rocking and rolling for the last since 2006. We did our ninth annual event this past Saturday,” Wesley said.
The nonprofit also provides help with rent, groceries, utility bills, rides to the doctor, and more. While the organization is there to help men and women dealing with breast cancer, a big focus is education and exams.
“So it's very important for women to get their annual mammograms or your monthly self-examinations, especially during cycle time, “ Wesley said.
As we mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Wesley remains steadfast in helping those dealing with breast cancer through every step of the process.
“As a BIPOC organization, which is Black, Indigenous people of color, our goal is to stay focused on those that are less fortunate,” Wesley said.
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