Life has an interesting way of coming at you when you least expect it.
In the midst of ending her marriage and simultaneously getting a new job, 40-year-old Kehsia Wright was on a quest to start her life over in 2016.
But, her life of new beginnings took a turn when she began to feel an unusual pain under her left arm. That pain later grew to be unbearable and made its way to her upper chest and added tension to her left breast.
Three weeks later, she walked into MedStar Union Memorial Hospital hand in hand with her daughter when doctors performed a biopsy and delivered the most heartbreaking news.
Wright was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
"I could feel basically what I was about to go through because I was starting to look really, really tired and it was taking its toll on me," said Wright.
Wright immediately met with a team of MedStar doctors who were able to weigh out her treatment options and the procedures that she would undergo.
Dr. Maen Farha was one of the doctors on her team. He is a medical director at the MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Breast Center and he says that Wright decided to undergo surgery, which is a more efficient first course of treatment.
"She was extremely anxious, nervous, and was afraid to die," said Dr. Farha. "But her confidence in the team became much easier for her."
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Breast Center has developed a more proactive direction in impacting their cancer patients. The institution practices a collective team initiative that allows the group of doctors assigned to a specific patient to communicate together effectively and share their findings collectively with their patient.
Dr. Farha says this method brings less confusion, allows the patient to gain confidence in the team, brings reassured looks into the patient's anxiety levels, and doctors can cohesively choose the best treatment plans for their patients.
The team of doctors who worked together to get Wright through her first course of treatment were the same doctors that were by her side through her Chemo Phase, Radiation Phase, and her finals stages of Hormonal Therapy.
"My whole team of doctors have been so supportive, they really have. If I have a pain, if something goes wrong, they are on it right away, very proactive," said Wright.
Wright's growth in confidence towards her rough journey led her to find solace in the arts. She started painting in her room during her phases of treatments.
Then, as she progressed in the various stages of her disease she completed masterpieces for her doctors, for other patients going through cancer, and she even started writing poetry to help in her healing.
"I had lost all of my hair and my eyelashes and I had low self-esteem and I felt terrible and I felt bad about myself, I didn't even want to look at myself in the mirror, I just felt bad," said Wright. "I had so many people reassuring me that it was going to be okay, it was just so comforting to know that I wasn't alone."
Feeling like the youngest cancer patient in the room, Wright knew that what she was going through was going to pass and the love that she received from the center's nurses, staff, and other patients going through what she was going through encouraged her to pay it forward and to be there for others battling with the illness.
"I am just so appreciative and so humbly blessed and thankful to everyone. All the nurses, everybody that's been there for me and I just want to give back."
And she gave back in the most memorable way.
In a room full of warriors, Wright recited a survival poem at MedStar's Annual Cancer Survivor Luncheon. She wrote the poem during her course of battling Breast Cancer.
The Survivor in You
By: Kehsia Wright
Every day God wakes you up, you fight to love better, to dream better, more mountains to climb
Some sick days you smiled, you pressed on
Oh! it wasn't easy, but you kept on going
Faith a positive attitude sometimes not being able to hold down any food
Still, you pressed on!
You embraced me with hugs and love and smiles, different coping stories, and regiment trials for that we thank you family and loving friends
To all the hospital staff, you always made us laugh to lighten the mood with warm hugs showing compassion and love
We thank you!
As we continue to go stronger minute by minute, hour by hour, may you be blessed
We love you and we celebrate the survivor in you!
Wright successfully finished her last radiation in 2017 and was able to celebrate her 2018 birthday cancer free.
She wants to be an advocate for anyone going through cancer and hopes that sharing a positive attitude with positive people will help anyone find their piece of healing and make it through.
For more information on MedStar Union Memorial Breast Cancer Center, click here.
