{"id":19634,"date":"2023-10-27T15:21:26","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T22:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?page_id=19634"},"modified":"2026-03-16T10:24:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:24:26","slug":"patient-story-building-courage-together-samaritan-health-services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/about-samaritan\/together\/patient-story-building-courage-together-samaritan-health-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Courage Together"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Choosing Life Over Fear, Surviving Cancer<\/h1>\n\t\t\t
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\u201cCancer changed me. It is as though I was born again, that God gave me another life to live . . . life is too beautiful to waste.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

~Maria Diaz<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Lea la historia de Mar\u00eda<\/a> en espa\u00f1ol. 
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Choosing Life Over Fear, Surviving Cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to choose life. To make the decision to fight and never give up,\u201d said Maria Diaz, 64, of Corvallis, when asked what advice she has for others facing a cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early 2020, Diaz began her normal daily routine. Wake up, get ready, head to work. On this day though, while applying deodorant, Diaz felt a hard lump in her left armpit. Not experiencing any pain or sickness, she continued as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some time had passed, and still not experiencing pain or sickness, but after continued persistence from her husband, Genaro Martinez, Diaz went to see her family doctor.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cMy doctor believed right away it was cancer,\u201d said Diaz. \u201cTo be sure, I was referred to Samaritan to get a biopsy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Days later at a follow\u2011up appointment, Diaz received the news. The biopsy confirmed she had locally advanced breast cancer, stage IIIB. Specifically, triple positive invasive ductal carcinoma. Triple positive breast cancer is a condition which tumor cells have positive estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and abnormal HER2 receptors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt sick. I didn\u2019t want anyone to see me,\u201d said Diaz. \u201cI went straight to my room and cried.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was in that moment though, Diaz knew she had to fight, to overcome this cancer. She decided to stop working and focus solely on her health.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI felt sick. I didn\u2019t want anyone to see me, I went straight to my room and cried.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

~Maria Diaz<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Accompanied by her husband and one of her sons, Miguel Martinez, Diaz began the first of six rounds of chemotherapy in early 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChemotherapy was tough,\u201d said Diaz. \u201cMy appetite was gone and I\u2019m a good eater. I lost my hair and in an ugly way. I just felt bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very little sounded good to eat while receiving chemotherapy. Finally, her daughter\u2011in\u2011law, Yesi Martinez, discovered that freshly made tortillas and menudo, a traditional Mexican soup and family favorite, settled well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the menudo was presented to me, I was sure I would get sick like I did with everything else. But I was able to enjoy several helpings, and the best part, keep it down,\u201d Diaz said.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Finding a food that settled her stomach during chemo was a big win. But her family wanted to do more. They wanted to help bring a sense of normalcy to their loved one during this difficult time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy family took me in for a wig fitting. It wasn\u2019t for me though. I just didn\u2019t feel like myself,\u201d Diaz said. \u201cOne of my sons then found these lovely hats. They came in many different colors. Oh, how I loved these hats, and I even received many compliments from my care team!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chemotherapy was but only one step in Diaz\u2019s treatment plan. Surgery was next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis was even more terrifying,\u201d Diaz said. \u201cI knew my surgery date was approaching, but I didn\u2019t want to discuss it \u2014 not with family \u2014 not with my care team either. I was afraid that I would be put to sleep and not ever wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cYou have to choose life. To make the decision to fight and never give up.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

~Maria Diaz<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Needing to find calmness within her storm of emotions, Diaz would go on walks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes I would go out late at night \u2014 my husband keeping a watchful eye to ensure I stayed safe. Other times, I would venture out during the day between appointments,\u201d said Diaz. \u201cThis helped slow my racing mind and ease my nerves and fear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the left breast lumpectomy and removal of a large section of lymph nodes underneath the arm, Diaz started the third phase of her treatment plan, radiation therapy, a total of 28 rounds.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Now, as a cancer survivor, Diaz, expresses her gratitude for family, the cancer care team and life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGetting cancer brought my family closer than ever. I felt so much love and support at every step. And, I cannot say enough about my care team \u2014 the doctors, nurses, assistants \u2014 they were all so kind,\u201d Diaz said. \u201cCancer changed me too. It is as though I was born again, that God gave me another life to live. As I see it now, life is too beautiful to waste it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking to the future, Diaz has plans to return to Mexico to see more of her family, and to take the European trip she and her husband have always talked about.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Schedule Your Mammogram<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A mammogram can find breast cancer before you have symptoms or notice a lump, and early treatment gives you more options. New advances like 3-D mammography is the standard of care at all Samaritan Diagnostic Imaging locations. This technology has increased the detection of breast cancer and decreased false positives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Learn More About Breast Care<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Join a Cancer Care Seminar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our Cancer Care Virtual Seminars are free to anyone interested in learning more about cancer. From breast health to nutrition guidance, cancer prevention and more, our local experts will guide you.  Join the next seminar or watch a previous event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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