‘If I hadn’t been careful, my story could have been different’
In 2017, Craft coach Gisele Gengo became part of the statistics. She was one of more than 60,000 Brazilians to be diagnosed with a breast tumor that year. Gisele’s story had a positive outcome — like the psychology she started to apply to life and work. Read the interview with Gisele Gengo to learn more about her experience in fighting breast cancer:
You faced breast cancer three years ago. How was the process, from discovery to treatment? I found out I had cancer on a routine exam. Every year, I have a gynecological check-up. In July 2017, thanks to a mammography, I had an early diagnosis and, although it was a somewhat aggressive type of cancer, I was able to act quickly. In September, I already had the surgery. When the diagnosis comes, the first thing we think is, “Wow, I’m going to die”. We are faced with the brevity of life. Today, I joke that I made a pact with God, and I’m here taking care of myself, keeping my head well, eating right, exercising.
You discovered cancer in time, thanks to a mammography. Can we say this painful and hated examination by many became your savior? Mammography is an extremely powerful black and white photo that can save lives. It saved my life and the lives of countless women every year. There are 66,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year only in Brazil, and this is the most accurate test for the discovery of the tumor. So, what I want to leave as a message is: take care, do your exams.
Was early diagnosis important in your case? No doubt. Cancer is a disease that spreads quickly. From July to September, from the first exams to the surgery, one lump multiplied and became three. In fact, I’m not sure if they were already there on the same breast and just weren’t visible, but I think that if I hadn’t been careful, my story could have been different.
Have you always practiced self-care or became more attentive after the diagnosis? I have always practiced self-care. Even working hard, even having a challenging routine. I have always dedicated time to my family and quality of life. Quality of presence. And I think that was thanks to this self-care that I discovered cancer early.
How have you overcome the impact of the diagnosis? My way of coping with cancer was transformed since the moment I’ve learned more about the disease. I’ve tried not to panic and learn about the disease and myself, about my case. When we get to know the disease better, the doctor who is taking care of us, the hospital where we are being treated, we get comfortable, adapt, feeling safer. The diagnosis was the most challenging phase for me. I had already been a patient’s relative. My grandparents died of cancer, my father died of cancer, my nephew died of cancer. So, when receiving the diagnosis, there was no way not to associate it with death. I also reframed all this during chemotherapy, when I met people who were undergoing palliative treatment, when there is no hope of a cure. And I realized that, despite the treatment and despite the cancer, it is possible to have a full life, a happy life.
You’ve just talked about reframing. What changes has cancer brought you, from a personal and professional point of view? One of the professional decisions I’ve made after cancer was to work four days a week getting paid for my work and dedicate a day to volunteer work. I’ve already been working at the Graac oncology hospital (Support Group for Adolescents and Children with Cancer) before. Cancer also led me to use positive psychology, with myself and the people I work with. I look for and recommend ways to recharge the battery, improve dialogue and relationships. In this way, we increase our immunity, and opportunistic diseases such as cancer have a harder time emerging. It makes a lot of sense to me.
