Nisha Jaime’s story: 42 year old breast cancer survivor

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.

Nisha is 42 years old from Los Angeles, California. She enjoys writing, coordinating small-scale charity drives, doing pilates and going out to brunch with her family and friends. She has been a journalist for 18 years, having worked at newspapers, radio and television stations in the Los Angeles area. She is currently a traffic reporter and news producer for different iHeartRadio stations. She is most proud of being a mama to her three children, Noah and Nikoh who are 9 and Nylah who is 5. They were all born under fragile medical circumstances. Her twin boys were born very premature and spent several weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit. Her daughter was born with a complex congenital heart disease and has endured three open heart surgeries, plus many other procedures. She is also very proud of being a self-published author. In 2021, she published a children's book "Rainbows & Storms," which was inspired by her daughter's journey with her heart disease. One fun fact about Nisha is that she has over 70 first cousins and most of them only live a short driving distance from each other. Nisha has given us permission to share her story with you to help inspire change and action when it comes to taking care of your breast health.

Hi, my name is Nisha. I'm a 42 year old mother from Los Angeles, California, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer, June 2022. I found it because I was taking my children out for a swim and as I changed into my swimsuit, my hands kind of went over my chest here to readjust my straps, and I felt a lump. Initially, I panicked, but I really didn't think that it was breast cancer because it was nowhere near my actual breast. It was up higher here by the collarbone, and kind of just felt like a raised surface when I would put my hand over it. My husband was like, you really need to go to the doctor right away and get that checked out, which I did. Things moved very fast. I went to the doctor just two or three days later, and I did an ultrasound, mammogram, and biopsy and it was confirmed that I did have stage two breast cancer. It was a shock, and it's still something that's very hard for me to process.

I've been in treatment for one year. I've completed six rounds of chemotherapy, my breast surgery, lymph node removal, 20 rounds of radiation, and all that while trying to still be a great mom to my twin boys who are nine, and my daughter who's five. This is a hard journey, but I found so many great resources and great support since I was diagnosed, and if you catch it early, there's so much hope, and survival rates are fantastic.

My Instagram algorithm is pretty much cancer related, and that's how I found Know Your Lemons. What I liked about it at first was that the pink and yellow really caught my attention. I'm also a lemon lover, I put lemon on just about everything that I eat. And I really liked the lemon carton that has the 12 symptoms of breast cancer, because a lot of my friends that I shared my diagnosis with would say "I don't even know what to look for except a lump". But there's other things and so that's what I really liked about Know Your Lemons. Especially also seeing all the women around the world. This is a global charity. And you know, breast cancer can feel lonely. Although there's so many women everywhere that are dealing with this. It was really nice to be able to see people from around the world who are advocating for this who are going through the same thing and we're all just supporting each other. I just downloaded the Know Your Lemons app. I've been sharing that with all my friends. And I'm really super grateful for all the work that Know Your Lemons is doing to raise awareness about breast cancer, because early detection is really the key to survival and I'm so glad that I fall into that category. Thank you all for supporting those of us with breast cancer, and sending my love and prayers to everybody who's out there on their own journey just like I am. Thank you.