“I Felt Like My Body Betrayed Me”

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Dr. Stephanie Hutchinson – Cancer Survivor
“Twice diagnosed. Double mastectomy, chemotherapy for 12 weeks. At some point, people I talk to can kind of plug into one of those experiences.”

Dr. Hutchinson, a 28-year breast cancer survivor, began her battle with a routine checkup that revealed a small lump. After a successful first fight, the emotional scars remained, only for a second diagnosis 23 years later to bring new challenges.

Dr. Stephanie Hutchinson – Cancer Survivor
“I remember when I lost my hair, and I realized it really was coming out. Um, that’s when I felt like a cancer patient because it was a very obvious change.”

Despite growing awareness around breast cancer, Dr. Hutchinson says stigma still makes it hard for some to share their experiences.

Dr. Stephanie Hutchinson – Cancer Survivor
“Because they don’t want anybody to know because, I guess, the breasts are seen as so sexual. Uh, people are, and if you lose them, does that mean that you’re still a woman?”

The experience took a mental toll on her.

Dr. Stephanie Hutchinson – Cancer Survivor
“It’s almost like an assault, like my body is betraying me. Um, my body doesn’t look like it used to look like. And so you have to kind of, um, what is my new normal?”

Dr. Hutchinson, also a psychologist, recognizes the importance of therapy for processing grief and fear.

Dr. Stephanie Hutchinson – Cancer Survivor
“My mother died the second time in 2019. And so, once I kind of navigated the treatment, I said, you know what, I need to process, because the grief of her dying and the cancer were kind of all commingled, and so I needed to untangle those.”

She leaves this message of hope:

Dr. Stephanie Hutchinson – Cancer Survivor
“Believe that you can do this. Whatever the diagnosis, whatever stage of diagnosis, because Bahamian women tend to be diagnosed, um, later, uh, live until.”