Dierdra’s Story: Dierdra Raines received the news in October of 2010 that she had breast cancer. As a single mother of twins, a career woman, and a person of strong faith, Dierdra dealt with the news as best as she could. In the midst of having sixteen chemotherapy treatments, she walked 2 miles 3-4 days a week, while battling neutropenia. When she had to undergo thirty treatments of radiation, she began running again, completing 3-4 miles a day, 7 days a week.

The entire time Dierdra was going through chemotherapy she felt she was operating at 85% of her former self. After her therapy was over she sent a text message to her children saying she felt she was at 85%. She shared this information with them because she is a woman of faith and realized that this, along with her healthy lifestyle, made the journey easier.

Dierdra relied on the word “Believe” given to her by friends and family to help her through her breast cancer journey. Dierdra also relied on her poetry. Here is the first stanza to her poem, an “Unwelcomed Guest”:

In 2010 I picked up a brand new friend;
Not on the outside, but from deep within.
This friend had a very common name;
And playing hide and seek was his favorite game.
I’d search for him night and day;
But he never once would come out to play.
All of a sudden a knock at my door I had to answer;
There he stood, saying “hi, my name is cancer”.