FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Undaunted by the fact that she is facing the third major health crisis in her life within the last 10 years, Dr Asha Mwendo is now focused on helping others.

The Trelawny resident is now fighting to recover from a stage three triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis she received about two years ago. Fifteen years ago she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and other health issues. Her faith in God makes her confident she will recover from her current setback.

“I’ve been unwell before and God has brought me through. I remember when I had brain cancer and doctor gave me six months to live. I’m still here,” Mwendo told the Jamaica Observer.

“I serve a God who is a healing God, and he has brought me through so much. In 2018, I had three strokes and I’m here today,” she added about her knack for overcoming the odds.

Mwendo had surgery in January to remove her right breast and feels compelled to provide support to other women who may also be battling cancer. On October 4, she had a soft launch for a foundation that will give her a chance to be there for others. She announced it on Healing Moments, a show she hosts on Fit FM, a Trelawny-based radio station. It’s called the Love is a Verb Breast Cancer and Holistic Wellness Foundation. The official launch will come later in October, a nod to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“One of my greatest thrusts is education, information, the right questions to ask when you go to the doctor; because some persons don’t know,” said Mwendo.

“Some women don’t know they can get prosthesis, they don’t know they can get a special bra to wear,” she added.

She is also hopeful that her foundation will be able to provide financial support for a cause that impacts so many Jamaican women.

“What we are hoping to have is to help offset some of the cost of what some of the clients will experience and also to get persons to understand,” Mwendo told the Observer.

“I also want my foundation to help, with the Government, in offsetting some of the costs so that better treatment can be given, more oncology chairs and things like that,” she said.

She has benefitted from support provided by the public health system and now wants to work with it to help others.

“Just 14 days treatment would cost almost a $100,000 and this is being provided by government,” she explained. “I couldn’t afford it. Even though I was able to take care of my surgery privately, for continued care now with triple-negative breast cancer, there is no way I could afford it,” she stated.

She stressed that the Love is a Verb Breast Cancer and Holistic Wellness Foundation will be gender neutral when it comes to providing support and will not only focus on breast cancer.

“Our foundation will also be working with men with prostate cancer. That is why the name says ‘and holistic wellness’ and didn’t just stop at breast cancer because we have to look out for the brothers who have supported us along the journey as well,” she said.