"Carolina Breast Friends, along with La Casa Rosada con Latinas, have not only given me the support and encouragement with their care and resources, but they have also allowed me the opportunity to be involved and help bridge any cultural gaps between La Casa and CBF. We can help so many Survivors together."
Eyesenia "Jessie" Arroyave moved from New Jersey to Fort Mill, SC, in 2006 and started working at a reconstructive surgery practice. She was so inspired by the work and the people she met at the practice, that she and her husband, Elvis, started their own business helping independent medical practices with their revenue cycle management.
Her time working at the reconstruction practice also inspired Jessie to do self-breast exams in the shower. It was during one of these self-exams that she felt a lump on her left breast.
In May of 2021, Jessie was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.
"The word journey seems fit for the experience," Jessie says. "I had a double mastectomy, 6 months of chemotherapy and 30 days of radiation... It was the worst and best thing that could have happened to me."
"All I could think about was my family. My husband, my kids. How were they going to handle this? Would they be ok?" says Jessie. "My experience with CBF has provided me with humbling support and guidance."
Jessie was introduced to CBF through La Casa Rosada con Latinas, a monthly support group for Latina Survivors that meets at The Pink House.
That support she found led Jessie to reciprocate the encouragement she had received. She now leads a self-image program at The Pink House monthly to help Survivors feel their most beautiful.
"In my spare time I love to practice my passion for self-image and beauty through makeup," Jessie says. "Volunteering to start and lead a self-image program is a dream come true for me. This would not have been possible without CBF's support and encouragement. There is beauty in this journey, and we are here to help you see it and feel it!"
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