A 74-year-old breast cancer survivor who lost three brothers to the disease has told others with a diagnosis not to give up hope, saying a positive mindset and daily exercise helped her.

Gloria Beharry, who was diagnosed in 2023, shared her journey at the opening ceremony of the Rotaract Club of New Amsterdam's Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities, held recently at the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School.

"When you hear the word cancer and you have cancer, you tell yourself that cancer is not going to get me down. You have to give yourself that will power," she said.
Beharry said cancer has deeply affected her family, with all four of her siblings affected. Her youngest sister, a 13-year cancer survivor, continues to battle the disease and lives abroad.

She encouraged persons to eat leafy vegetables and other nutritious foods, and said she exercises every day.

"The most important thing is to exercise. Give your lungs and your tissue a lot of oxygen," she said.

"There is hope, you're the one that has it and you can take it away with the help of God. That is the bottom line," Beharry said.

The ceremony brought together survivors, patients and members of the medical community for discussions on the disease and ways of coping with treatment.

Rotaract Club of New Amsterdam President Nikita Harcourt said the event was designed to provide a space where survivors and persons affected by breast cancer could share their experiences and encourage others.

"What we normally do is that we have a service where we invite survivors and other persons to sit, to talk and just to have conversations about breast cancer," she said.

Patients from the New Amsterdam clinic and other survivors were invited to discuss how cancer has affected their lives and to share practical advice with persons undergoing treatment, including those dealing with the effects of chemotherapy.

Harcourt said members of the medical team also brought breast examination models, allowing members of the audience to demonstrate how they believed an examination should be conducted.

The awareness activities will continue on October 18 at 6am with a breast cancer awareness walk, followed by a Zumba session at the school. Funds raised will be used to assist breast cancer patients with essential needs.

"All the proceeds that we would have raised so far for Breast Cancer Awareness Month would be used to provide supplies for those patients if they need assistance with transportation and so on," Harcourt said.

October is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the disease, encouraging early detection and supporting patients, survivors and their families.