October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in Brooklyn, residents are not just participating in campaigns but also sharing their personal journeys through this challenging experience. These stories highlight the resilience, vulnerability, and strong sense of community that emerge when breast cancer impacts lives.
Personal Battles and Community Support
Three Brooklynites—Kristina Teschner, Sonaya Handberry, and Chloe Effron—offer poignant insights into their battles with breast cancer. They illustrate how the disease affects not just the individual but also families and friends who rally around them in support.
For Kristina Teschner, a 44-year-old resident of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, the fight began with an unexpected diagnosis of stage zero DCIS breast cancer. “I caught this extremely early,” Teschner recalled, adding that a routine mammogram led to a shocking revelation. Despite the early detection, the emotional toll was significant. “It was terrifying,” they said, reflecting on the profound impact of confronting mortality.
As a non-binary person, Teschner faced unique challenges navigating a healthcare system traditionally focused on women. “The assumption was that I am a woman who connects femininity to my breasts,” they explained. The rapid pace of the medical process—from diagnosis to surgery—was overwhelming. Ultimately, Teschner advocated for an aesthetic flat closure, rejecting reconstruction to align with their identity. “I basically wrote my team an email and was like, ‘Change of plans,’” they said.
Following surgery, Teschner received uplifting news: the cancer had not spread. “It was my first and last mammogram, and now I am cancer-free,” they stated. While Teschner feels liberated now, the lingering effects of treatment remain a concern. “Just because I can walk around and be happy, it doesn’t go away,” they emphasized, highlighting the ongoing emotional and financial challenges.
The Fight for Survival
For Sonaya Handberry, the diagnosis arrived just weeks before her 40th birthday. On June 30, 2023, she learned she had stage two metastatic breast cancer, which had spread to her lymph nodes. “I never saw it coming,” she shared. As a single mother and guardian, the diagnosis significantly shifted her life.
Handberry described the taxing effects of chemotherapy, including fatigue and hair loss. Despite the challenges, she relies on her close-knit family for support. “I spend a lot of time with my family, or sometimes I’m alone and I call my best friend,” she said. Therapy has also been a vital resource for her mental health during this tumultuous time. “It’s been a safe space for me to unload all my thoughts and emotions,” she noted.
“Personally, it’s all about the fight,” Handberry said in reference to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She expressed hope for the future, aiming to celebrate being cancer-free in the coming year. “I didn’t even realize I had a village until my village appeared around me,” she reflected, acknowledging the unexpected support from her community.
At just 33 years old, Chloe Effron faced a harrowing diagnosis of stage four breast cancer after discovering a lump in July 2023. The rapid succession of appointments and treatments was daunting, but she emphasized the importance of her support network. “My brother Max has been my ‘remote caretaker,’ managing my finances and scheduling,” she said, praising her family’s presence during this challenging time.
Effron’s community stepped up in remarkable ways, with friends organizing assistance through a platform called Giving Kind. “It’s everything I could have asked for,” she stated, expressing gratitude for the help she received. Despite the gravity of her situation, Effron remains determined to maintain a positive outlook. “It’s really scary, and it’s okay to be scared,” she acknowledged.
As Effron navigates her treatment, she finds solace in the support of her loved ones and peers. “People have reached out to me saying they’ve scheduled mammograms who hadn’t thought to do it before, which is huge,” she shared. This awareness, she believes, is vital for early detection and prevention.
The stories of Teschner, Handberry, and Effron exemplify the strength found in community support amidst the struggle against breast cancer. Each of their journeys underscores the ongoing fight for survival and the importance of reclaiming one’s identity through the healing process. As Brooklyn observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month, these narratives remind us that the battle extends beyond survival; it is also about the resilience of the human spirit.
