Cancer tried to take her life; Catalina Coc won

It could be considered that life feels a little different when you have to fight to stay alive. This month, we travelled the country in search of a few persons who had been placed in an extraordinary situation that led to the fight of their lives, but with medical intervention, they won. This week, we conclude that monthly search with the story of Catalina Coc, who, since overcoming breast cancer in April, has a renewed energy to live life like it’s the only one she’s got. Sabreena Daly tells us more in this week’s look “On The Bright Side”.

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

At the start of 2023, Catalina would have described herself as a relatively healthy woman who took care of her body and health. She enjoyed the love of her family and engaged in her passion of baking.  However, everything changed when an annual check-up led to a mammogram, marking the beginning of her fight for life.

 

Catalina Coc, Cancer Survivor
“When I went there to do the first mammogram, the first breast was alright. The second one, however, they looked at me and told me it looked like cancer. Right away.”

 

 

 

 

Catalina was only fifty. And.. It was cancer.

 

Catalina Coc

“I got stressed out and I dramatized, honestly. Knowing that you are facing something that you never knew before, it’s very scary.”

 

Her fight to survive immediately began. Catalina was presented with the option to undergo a mastectomy, the surgical removal of her breast, or the immediate start of cancer treatment through radiation. Today, she is one breast less.

 

Catalina Coc

“It’s not an easy decision to make. You really have to think good. Like, it’s life or death, you know. I said, okay, I need to do it.  If I want to live more, I need to do it. That is the reason I decided that, okay, I will do it. I mean you just have to be strong and have faith in God. That was my last words, you know, I keep asking God for strength. The day of the operation, I just hugged my kids and I said, just be strong with me. I don’t know what will happen, but I know we leave it in God’s hands.”

 

Following her mastectomy, Coc received test results indicating that chemotherapy was still necessary. This aggressive treatment challenges the mental will and strength of anyone who must endure it. Catalina received her chemotherapy at the Dangriga Cancer Center.

 

Catalina Coc

“I had to do a weekly chemo for the beginning. I had a 12 session of weekly chemo, and it’s not a nice one. It is not. Oh my God, for the first to the fourth session, it was good.  The fifth session, I began to lose my hair and that is one of the most devastating feelings you could ever think about.”

 

 

 

Like most persons faced with a medical condition of this magnitude, it requires finances and emotional support. Both are important. Coc’s support system sprung into action in efforts to raise money, but after money is found, the shoulder to lean on is next to none. In her time of need, Coc shared that her friends and family were there.

 

 

 

Catalina Coc

“I have my two kids that stood by me, day and night. Day and night. I have my son, I have my daughter. I know they felt the same way as me, but they didn’t share it with me. I figured if they show me how they feel, I definitely feel that I could have been affected by it. They are my biggest support and my gentleman. He supported me a lot as well, even though sometimes you get frustrated. I mean,  everybody has to understand that this journey is not an easy one. You really get frustrated, you get depressed, you get whatever you want to call it. But this also affects the family. It totally affects the family.”

 

Catalina endured a year of hardships, battling through chemotherapy with the support and good graces of individuals and the Cancer Society, who aided her medical journey through fundraising. In April of this year, her perseverance was rewarded when she finally heard the words she had been waiting for all of 2023.

 

Catalina Coc

“It’s one of the most amazing pieces of news to know that you are free of this monster that was killing you. When the doctor told me, you are free of cancer, you can go and drink, eat anything that you want. I said, Oh my God. I said, are you sure? Like, I’m free. Yes. They say you are free of cancer.”

 

 

Catalina Coc is currently in remission, and though life has changed significantly since her diagnosis, she remains positive and resilient. She continues to pursue her passions with enthusiasm and extends heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported her through this challenging journey. Her message to viewers is clear and urgent: Cancer kills. Get tested before it’s too late.

 

Catalina Coc

“Don’t wait till it’s too late. Go ahead and do your mammogram. Go ahead, do Your pap smear. That is the only way you will know what you have. That is the only way you will know. You could save your life. That’s the only way you could save your life and don’t be scared. Don’t be scared. Just be strong.”

 

Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.