Aracelis Mendez She is a Venezuelan who has been living in Charlotte. Four years ago he won the battle against breast cancer. After the illness, he heard about the importance of Support groupsthat’s how he came up with The Pink House with Latinas.
The pink House is a place with a program that brings together Latinas who are cancer survivors or who are battling it. The first time that Aracelis attended one of these meetings was in April 2019, after she was subjected to a double mastectomy to minimize the possible risks of the bad cells reappearing.
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“When I went to the first meeting I felt the need to keep going and, in fact, all of us who started that year are still coming back. Some are still on chemo, others on radiation, and others in the process of surgery, but we’re all still here fighting the fight, because every time we come we feel like a family. We left here with a lot of energy”, expressed Aracelis.
Both for the cancer survivors Like other Latinas who participate in these sessions, having this space gives them the chance to talk about their experiences, as an opportunity to empathize with the group and support other women with healing tools.
“Science helps, but with our testimony we also help so that people feel comfortable, they feel secure in the decisions they are going to make and we help their family members to understand what the process is, what cancer is not a death sentence, but a chance at life. It is sharing smiles with a family that can understand the process we need to go through to value the here and now.”, commented Aracelis.
Third Thursday of every month at 5:30 pm This program is carried out where Latinas converge with the desire to live despite battling or having cured cancer. However, it is only one part of a whole range of services offered by The pink Houselocated in 1607 E Morehead Street, Charlotte.
La Casa Rosada with Latinas: healing meetings
The first meeting held in The Pink House with Latinas it was thursday October 26, 2017. This was achieved thanks to the alliance of Carolinas Breast Friendshe Hospital Levinelas Mecklenburg Public Libraries and the YMCA. Since then, they have maintained this noble initiative once a month.
Magbis Núñez is a survivor and was part of that initial encounter in The pink House. In addition, since 2010 he works with Be reborn, an organization that supports people with cancer. As coordinator of the Latina group, she has become a guide and support for many women fighting the disease.
“My position at the hospital (Atrium) is to connect Latinas with the organization and work with these monthly meetings in which we vary topics such as: relaxation, mindfulnesshelp these women with their ventures, bibliotherapy y mentoring programswhich consists of connecting women according to the stage of cancer they have or have survived so that they can talk to each other and learn about treatments and plans, among other things“Nunez said.
Over the years La Casa Rosada has carried out exercise workshopsof stretching, Skin care; conversations about the drugs that interfere with radiation therapy; makeup classes, zumba, nutritionamong other.
As an added value, women with other types of cancer can also participate.
“Since there is no space for Latinas who have other types of cancer, we invite these women who have lymphomas, gynecological cancer, among others, because the idea is that they have a place where they can go“.
What services does La Casa Rosada offer?
“Carolina Breast Friends”, also known as The pink Housewas founded in 2003 by Kristy Adams-Ebel, a 32-year-old breast cancer survivor. Her idea was to create a non-profit organization committed to help people who are fighting this disease.
For this reason, it offers services of:
- group support.
- Individual mentoring, connecting people with the same diagnosis.
- Education through the guidance of health professionals, researchers and experts in the care of patients with cancer.
- Wellness, which addresses the needs of the mind and body with exercise sessions, yoga and massage.
- Nutrition, to teach the importance of having healthy nutritional habits. Cooking classes are also taught.
- Personal care, in order to provide different image care techniques according to each detected need. Some women go out with wigs and mastectomy bras.
For more information about this program, you can call 704-533-2682 or send an email to: Magbis.love@atriumhealth.org. To find out about the services of La Casa Rosada and the workshops they carry out, visit the following link.
Free boutique of wigs, breast forms and hats
Adela Climastone, was one of the women who was able to make use of this last service. Currently, she is fighting against breast cancer. She was diagnosed on November 17, 2022 and since then, has four chemotherapies. The February meeting was the second he has been able to attend due to the treatment. On that occasion, she used the personal care service and tried on a wig.
“Yo I lost my hair with the treatment and today I received the wig and I felt like I was in a hairdresser because they treated me as such, they helped me choose the color, the type and there was a lot of emotion. They never made me feel like I was sick. I feel that I am living again, that I am being reborn and I see cancer as an apprenticeship and I will continue going to the meetings as long as I am fit”, he commented.
In March, Adela will celebrate one year living in Charlotteafter moving from Florida and prior to that his home was Venezuela. Ensures that both cancer and meetings in The pink House They have had an impact on your life.
“Cancer changed my relationship with my children, my family and my home a lot. I have not been able to work and my house It is not like before, because through the chemotherapy I have become very weak. But I have emotional support. At La Casa Rosada the orientation is very good, it is a great emotional support that has helped me immensely. The first time I came here I had many mixed emotions and I felt accompanied by strong people, people who want to live and get ahead like me, who we want to survive all this”, he commented.
