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In early 2023, Milagros Acuña underwent a routine mammogram and ultrasound. The results showed that she had some microcalcifications in her right breast. For this reason, her gynecologist referred her to a mastologist, who began quarterly follow-up visits.
She had her last mammogram and ultrasound in February 2024 and the mastologist, she says, told her everything was fine and they wouldn’t see each other until August.
“My armpit under my arm has been hurting for a few days,” Milagros told the doctor before leaving her office.
-You have a swollen gland. “Take an ibuprofen and you’ll be fine,” he replied.
“In March of that year I bought the new Boca jersey to watch the start of the Copa Sudamericana and that caught my eye The seam in my right armpit bothered me a lot.. I changed the size because I thought that was all, and on Wednesday on the court I couldn’t move my right arm, I couldn’t encourage it. I love singing, jumping, encouraging and it was difficult for me“, remember.
Three days after this incident, Milagros finally had to go to a clinic because the pain became more and more unbearable. There, a bilateral ultrasound scan was performed and the specialist suggested she change her mastologist.
Without wasting any time, she went to the Marie Curie Hospital the following Monday, where she was examined by a mastologist recommended to her. “Just with the pictures in his chest, he told me: ‘Daughter, you have breast cancer and the lymph node in your armpit has been torn out.’ I will operate on you and you will see that you will recover.‘”.
“At this moment I have I started crying and blocked myself because I didn’t understand or accept what was happening to me. With the diagnosis my world fell apart, I was not prepared to receive this kind of news and I I got angry because it was a year and a half old leaving a very toxic relationship And just when I felt like I was okay, this happened to me.”
The cancer Milagros faced, “HER2 triple positive,” is one of the most aggressiveBut know this: if you notice it in time, you have a good chance of moving forward. “The cells are very aggressive and shoot quickly, so my mastologist told me it was necessary to start chemotherapy.” urgent for attack him with everything.”
Before starting treatment, Milagros stuck with her psychologist, psycho-oncologist and the group of colleagues from the Macma and Sostén patient associations.
“The chemo was very strong. I remember getting into a bubble, I didn’t want anyone to come in. I had drama with food, food made me anxious, I was very afraid of getting sick if my defenses went down.”
During the third round of chemo, Milagros and her mother sat on the couch and drank mate. Without warning, a completely unexpected dialogue began.
-Daughter: I have to tell you something, I’d rather tell you this way than on the phone. I adopted you when you were a month old. “I could never have children, I always lost pregnancies, so we had adopted your brother with your father and he always wanted to have a daughter and you came along,” she said without anesthesia.
-Mom: Why did you wait 43 years to tell me and now come to tell me? -she asked him, completely surprised.
“It didn’t affect me at that moment because I was mentally aware that I had to do it Be strong to face the chemo and everything that was to come. Only now I understand many things and most importantly Forgive my birth mother for being abandoned. “I think that was my biggest anger,” he admits.
Milagros believes that through this revelation she was able to convey to her mother everything she had felt during the 23 years she lived in Buenos Aires (she lived in Dolores until she was 18). “We had a very bad relationship, I felt that My mother didn’t love me“.
At the moment, Milagros is focusing on “healing” and putting all her energy into treatment. The only thing he knows is his birth parents’ first and last names and that they are both deceased. However, he says he will have time to find out if he has brothers, nephews, uncles and other blood relatives.
Milagros is currently undergoing immunotherapy, which ends in November. This is preventive chemotherapy every 21 days.
In addition, she takes a tablet every day and an injection once a month, which triggers chemical menopause, impairs ovarian function, stops menstruation and lowers estrogen levels. This type of menopause can be temporary or permanent, depending on the treatment and each woman’s individual response.
“My cancer was hormonal and I can’t menstruate. That.” it was very difficult When I first saw my oncologist he told me that I couldn’t have children. Even though I know I’m a little too old for motherhood, I would have liked that. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to store eggs as it posed a risk to my health.”
Was there a before and after cancer?
Yes, of course. Today I realize that I choose this miracle of today: I am a better person, I have understood that life is a moment, that we must live as best as possible. He caused me problems with things that really weren’t worth it. I learned to be more humble, listen to myself and value myself.
What are your dreams?
I dream of health equality for everyone in the world. It is very sad to know that there are women, men and children who do not have access to their cancer treatment and are dying. We all have the right to live and receive our treatments as we should. I hope that one day that will change.
What message would you give to those diagnosed with an oncological disease?
That they seek help to manage the disease and that cancer can be cured in its early stages. That we are not alone and that we can heal. I don’t want to say fight because I feel like that’s not the right word. We don’t fight our own body, we heal it.
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