Chantal Smith’s life changed forever when she was 23 years old.
“It was April 5th, of 2013, I had found out,” Smith said.
The Prince Albert, Sask., woman’s journey with breast cancer started shortly after giving birth to her son, Dontauy.
“I breastfed him right until he was seven months and everything was good. Then, just so happened, I started leaking blood and wasn’t sure. There were no lumps or anything. I went to the doctor. We did some tests. It took about six months until we finally realized it was breast cancer,” Smith said.
After a mastectomy, chemotherapy and reconstruction surgery, Smith was able to beat cancer.
Life returned to normal for her family, but not for long, until a routine check-up MRI changed everything. Cancer returned for a second time.
“Then 2016, I had another spot that was found behind my reconstruction,” Smith explained.
This time it would take surgery to remove and 30 rounds of radiation.
“I thought everything was good until this past summer, 2018. I didn’t really have any symptoms, other than when I was laying down, I could feel something on my chest that hurt,” Smith said.
“Found out again, there’s a spot on my chest. It went into my bone in the sternum, and then it went into my liver and there were lymph nodes leading to my lungs that were cancerous.”
“They’ve deemed me as a stage four, terminal cancer,” Smith said.
“The other two times weren’t too bad, because I knew we could get rid of it, but this third time, once they tell you it’s terminal, it’s a lot harder to process.”
Smith said the third diagnosis came as a complete shock.
“I’ve been going through my twenties with cancer.”
“A third time, you’re just like really? You’re not even upset anymore, you’re more like mad, you’re more like why is this happening? Why does it keep coming back?”
The 29-year-old is nearing the end of 18 rounds of chemo, with a CT scan and medication to follow. Smith said her previous CT scan showed improvements in her liver, with the cancerous lymph nodes clearing.
“I keep thinking anything can happen. Miracles happen every day.”
“The one day I feel sorry for myself, and the next it’s ready to go. Let’s do it. Let’s fight again.”
Smith said she will continue to advocate for breast cancer awareness.
“You don’t really know what people are going through until you go through it. That’s why I try to bring awareness, especially with my age being so young,” Smith said.