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You have probably heard about breast cancer and its survivors from many people- maybe news outlets, teachers or even family members have talked about breast cancer and the things you can do to support those who have it. Breast cancer is a very serious ailment that can be hard to deal with- but supporting those who have it isn’t hard at all.
People who have breast cancer aren’t defined by the disease- they still have hobbies, passions and interests in their lives. Take, for instance, Nina Rappeline. She is a business administrator, paralegal and medical transcriptionist. She enjoys play Mahjong and other board games, creating paper crafts, and playing tennis- exercising is something she really enjoys doing. Even though she encourages living a healthy lifestyle, she still dislikes kale and brussel sprouts- which is definitely understandable. She lives with her husband and son.
"I have learned to appreciate the blessings in my life and worked harder on eliminating the negatives. I learned about [having] a positive attitude and setting boundaries are critical to maintaining a healthy environment for yourself"
Nina’s life isn’t defined by breast cancer, though she does offer some advice and reflection about her battle. “[From breast cancer], I have learned to appreciate the blessings in my life and worked harder on eliminating the negatives. I learned about [having] a positive attitude and setting boundaries are critical to maintaining a healthy environment for yourself.” As for challenges, she noted “Hyper-vigilance of health concerns” as something that stood in her way.
She offers some advice to those worrying about breast cancer: “Be proactive in your care, find a support group, be informed, make yourself a priority.” She also encourages finding support in the experience of others.
If you would like to support people with breast cancer, you can visit the following pages to learn more:
Rianne Pada was our guest writer for this post and is a junior at Kalani High School. This article was a joint collaboration between Breast Cancer Hawaii and Kalani High School's news writing class. The piece was also published in the school newsletter in February.