Dominique Martinez's story: Just Keep Swimming

Disclaimer: Know Your Lemons deeply values and respects the experiences and stories shared by breast cancer patients. The advice, statements, or facts presented in these narratives may not necessarily align with medical expertise or be universally applicable to every individual’s situation. Breast cancer is a complex and highly individualized medical condition, and while these stories offer valuable insights and emotional support, they should not substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance and decision-making regarding breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management. Know Your Lemons encourages a collaborative approach between patients, caregivers, and medical professionals to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for those affected by breast cancer.

Dominique is 44 years old from Chino, California. She likes baking, hiking, listening to records, dancing in the kitchen while she cooks/bakes, hanging out with family/ friends, laughing and adventures. She works as a lunch lady at a high school, where she cooks and serves food for high schoolers during their breaks and at lunch. Her greatest achievement in life is being able to turn the negatives into positives and seeing the beauty in daily life. Her faith, husband, kids, parents, godparents, and co-workers inspire her everyday and fuel her spirit. She is always dancing to the beat of her own drum. She loves to dance and will just dance randomly in a store if she hears a song she likes! Also, whenever she feels down, stressed or overwhelmed she always tells herself to "just keep swimming." It makes her smile and remember it will get better. Dominique has agreed to have us share her breast cancer story with you in the hopes that she reaches someone like her out there looking for inspiration.

Hi, I'm Dominique and I live in Chino, California. I was diagnosed with stage 2B IDC and DCIS breast cancer at the age of 41. I felt a burning sensation on the left side of my breast and also in my armpit. I went to the doctor. A few ultrasounds turned into a mammogram and then a biopsy. I had that gut-wrenching phone call on April 12, 2021, that there were four masses detected. I underwent a bilateral double mastectomy with reconstruction using the flat procedure. I also had chemo and radiation. My last active treatment date was February 14, 2022. That was my cancer divorce day and I was so excited. Before my cancer journey, I had really adopted the phrase “Just keep swimming” for the love of Disney, and it always made me smile whenever I was stressed out or worried about something. So I have Dory at all times, and she went with me to every appointment, every chemo, every radiation, and to this day, every appointment because I still get my scan-xiety, even with simple blood work. I wouldn’t know what I would do without my husband, my kids, my family, and my close friends. Ironically enough through my cancer journey, I got really close with one of my oncology nurses. She is one of my nearest and dearest best friends now. Today, I enjoy life as if every day is an adventure and a huge celebration. And when I get stressed or I get scared, I really grab on to Dory and I hug her, and just keep swimming. It's going to be okay it's just a jellyfish I need to just bounce over. In other words, a hiccup. I found Know Your Lemons at the tail end of my active treatment journey through a podcast that I listened to from DJ breast cancer. Man. The beautiful stories that were being shared, like I'm doing currently, were amazing, the vulnerability, it's a platform where I felt like I belonged. It was a community where I felt like everybody understood everybody, all the important information and the facts. Thank you so much. So today I will continue to go on advocating, loving life, and smiling with my hoops and my lipstick, my bright pink lipstick because it makes me feel better. So when life gets hard, just keep swimming. Thanks for listening.