MINNEAPOLIS — October is breast cancer awareness month. The more we talk about it, the earlier we detect it, the more lives that will be saved. And here's a story to put an exclamation point on that.
Have you ever met someone who just exudes good energy?
“I've always learned that you have to have a positive mindset,” says Sonya Goins.
Sonya is a friend and former colleague of ours here at KARE 11. To be honest, I'm not sure how she does it, she's had her share of hits.
“I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer at the end of July,” she tells me.
Sonya found a lump doing her monthly breast exam. She just finished up round three of chemotherapy. You’ll know when it’s done by the posts on Tik Tok.
“Soon as I started feeling a little bit okay, I threw up a Tik Tok video of dancing to the song, 'Doing the Butt,'" she laughs.
True to her form, Sonya say she's dancing her way through cancer.
Which is no small feat, considering the stress fracture in her knee, and the fact that the medicine is harder on her body than most.
“In January, I had my colon removed due to Crohn's disease," says Sonya.
“Taking the lessons that I've learned from dealing with the Crohn's disease has helped me in my fight against breast cancer," she adds.
Sonya's grateful she caught it early, and she's talking about her journey hoping it encourages someone else to do that monthly breast exam, and check their family history.
“I'm being checked for genetics because my two aunts have breast cancer and I didn't even know about it,” Sonya says.
Early detection is one tool, that positive attitude is another. Sonya gets that from her faith.
“I wouldn't be able to do any of this if it wasn't for God, so I know where my strength comes from,” says Sonya.
So, the real lesson here, is be more like Sonya. Do your self-exam and harness the power of positivity.
“Just because something awful happens to you doesn't mean you have to give up. There's always hope, there's always, always hope,” she says.