February is lovingly sponsored by Debra Deihl
As we continue with our reflection on The Heart of the Matter, we invite you to explore the unique journey of our calendar ambassadors and learn more about what it truly means to be here for the girls. Our mission is grounded in compassionate support, emotional well-being, and the power of community. Together, we face breast cancer with strength, hope, and heart.
Ms. February, Amy Manning (diagnosed at 44 in 2023): It's okay to just be enough
I’m a mom, wife, daughter, student, nurse, and on October 30, 2023, I became a breast cancer patient. Approaching the 5th anniversary of my husband being “all clear” from rectal cancer, we needed to switch roles—he became my caregiver. I had triple-negative breast cancer, and the floor dropped from under me. As a nurse, I knew there was breast cancer, but I knew nothing on the types and differing treatments.
Halfway through my Master’s in Nursing, with a great career as a quality nurse, I now added "breast cancer patient" to my resume. I pushed through 16 rounds of chemo, 21 rounds of radiation, and 3 surgeries while still being all the things. The biggest lesson I learned is to give yourself grace. There were many times that I was not very good at all the things, but I was ENOUGH.
I attended the H4TG Renew Restore and chose one commitment to take back home: to give myself GRACE. It's okay just to be enough. You do not need to do it all or be it all at once. You can step back and let your support team help you. Some days you will not be strong, some days you will not be helpful, some days you will not be a fighter, but every day you are ENOUGH!