DEFEATING CANCER AND THE POWER OF A POSITIVE THOUGHT

Native New Yorker Dana Johnson shared her triumphant story on how she conquered, defeated and survived ovarian cancer and how she looks forward to celebrating five years of being cancer-free this coming May.
Native New Yorker Dana Johnson shared her triumphant story on how she conquered, defeated and survived ovarian cancer and how she looks forward to celebrating five years of being cancer-free this coming May.

DEFEATING CANCER AND THE POWER OF A POSITIVE THOUGHT

By Christopher Shuttlesworth

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cancer disease in total deaths for

women in the United States, and is currently “accounting for more

deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.”

In fact, more than 22,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 and ultimately 14,000 will eventually die from the disease, according to cancer.org.

Dana Johnson has been through the struggles of living with cancer, but can also talk about how she’s survived it. If you ask her about her experience, she’ll tell you how a positive mental attitude is key.

Johnson shared her story as an ovarian cancer survivor, an illness that continues to affect so many women across the globe. She said she overcame the disease through faith. In May 2017, it’s that same faith that will lead her to be able to plan and celebrate 5-years of being

cancer-free.

Johnson, who is a native New Yorker, said she was shocked to hear the news of her ovarian cancer diagnosis back in April 2012. She said

after she got the news, she requested another doctorial opinion and it was determined that she had stage three ovarian cancer.

“I wasn’t frightened,” Johnson said.

“But I really had to wrap my head around the diagnosis and I was determined that the ovarian cancer wasn’t going to take me down,”

she said.

She explained she had surgery at the end of May, 2012 and began chemo for the next five months.

“The chemo process was awful,” she stated. “It was almost unbearable. But I made it through because I was determined that this

wasn’t going to take me down.”

Johnson said she gained her positive mindset and strength through watching her mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 80-years-old, fight through it all, which ultimately helped Johnson through her own chemo therapy.

“The hospital always gave me my favorite room which I loved because it was very nice and comfortable, Johnson said. “The nursing staff was always on point and I was very happy every time I left.”

She said her adhesions were rough, but combated the pain during the chemo process through acupuncture, visceral manipulation and by developing a memory to know when symptoms could erupt. Cancer also puts a drain on a patient’s finances.

During the chemo process, over 30 percent of patients cut back on groceries or have to borrow money, according to a recent survey by CancerCare. Because of the illness, about 20 percent skipped payments

on things like rent, utilities and their mortgage in order to pay for their medical bills, RealClear Health. comreports.

Fortunately for Johnson, she didn’t have any financial hardships at all. This was primarily due to her refusal to take any hard core drugs, she said. The advice she would give to cancer patients is to keep the faith, to keep positive people around you and to ask their doctor as many questions until they feel secure.

“You can’t afford to have people around you that try to keep you on the down low,” Johnson said. “Two of my best friends and my son always had positive words. Even during the times I was in the hospital

for the adhesions, I would tell the doctors ‘when you come in my room, you come in with a positive spirit and a smile on your face’. And that made me feel good.”

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