Anna De Morias: 4-time cancer survivor now spreads hope to patients

By Rupa Seenaraine

Anna De Morias has survived the deadly stroke of cancer four times within the course of 12 years. It is a feat that she never thought she could overcome, after being given just a short time to live. Now, she has survived and encourages women to ensure that they get screened as early as possible.

During an interview with Guyana Times, the cancer survivor related that her journey started on an early morning in 2007, during a visit to the gym when she experienced breast pains. However, De Morias she was afraid to get tested, having considered that cancer was dominant in her family’s history.
It was not something she was willing to think about until 2008, when those pains continued. As such, she was urged to visit the Guyana Cancer Institute, where a mammogram and biopsy were performed.
“I did not go to the doctor because I was afraid. I knew that cancer was part of my father’s side of the family. I didn’t want to think about it and I was scared to go to the doctor. I told my husband about how I was feeling in 2008 and I went to do the tests,” the woman recalled.

When those results returned, there was no positive detection of cancer. A second biopsy would later indicate that it was breast cancer in the form of carcinoma. Carcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in cells that make up the skin or the tissue lining organs. They are abnormal, dividing without control and can spread to other parts of the body.
Having been diagnosed with the disease, De Morias underwent a mastectomy to remove the right breast in October 2008. She felt well for a few months but later developed a complication. An oncologist then made the discovery that she had developed lung cancer.
“When I did the surgery, after that I was okay. But in December, water started entering my lungs and when I went to my oncologist and did an X-ray, they saw that the cancer went to the left side lungs.”
This spiralled into an episode of weight loss, and no medications seemed to help. The 56-year-old, who resides in Mahaica, said she was visiting the hospital constantly to remove the water from her lungs and in January 2009, doctors told her family that she had a very short time to live.
De Morias sought assistance from the Cancer Institute, where she would recover enough to undergo chemotherapy. Nine months of treatment followed and she was cleared.
Notwithstanding, this was not the end of the battle for the mother of three. It was years later, in 2015, when she was diagnosed a second time with breast cancer, requiring a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. In 2018, she was diagnosed for the last time with vaginal cancer and subjected to radiation.
“By God’s grace, I’m okay right now. I’m cancer-free and a four-time survivor of cancer,” she proudly beamed.
During the time of her treatment and remission, the survivor said she kept herself motivated by joining the Periwinkle Cancer Club, the Giving Hope Foundation, the Beacon Foundation and other organisations to educate women.
At present, she is encouraging women to get screened even if they have a suspicion that they may be carrying a cancerous disease. Others were urged to do routine checks, even though they may seem healthy.
“I joined so that I could tell persons of my experience and give persons hope because cancer is not death. I would encourage them people to go get help right away. Right now, I’m telling persons to go and get it checked out. Right now, I am afraid of this time. I’ve seen many people suffer but this is not the end. If I had given up, I wouldn’t have been here,” she relayed.
During chemotherapy and radiation, she recalled that there are instances where the body feels “down”. This is coupled with pains. However, De Morias said this is not an indication to stop taking treatment because the disease will eventually have a chance to take over the body.
“The chemotherapy give you pains and it is terrible. That makes some people not wanting to go back. They take it one time and they don’t want to go back. I’ve seen that many times but after some time, the cancer gets aggressive. If you really bother with the feeling, you won’t want to do it but you need it.”
She told this publication that maintaining a healthy diet is essential during treatment, especially one that is free of elements that would hasten the spread of the disease.
The month of October is dedicated towards Breast Cancer Awareness with persons donning the colour pink, primarily in the form of a ribbon, to show support. During this time, the annual campaign raises awareness and funds to assist patients.
Statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. It is estimated that the survival rate for early (stage 1) breast cancer has risen dramatically over the past decades, and is now 80-90 per cent in many high-income countries.