"Never Give Up"

Anke is a world-class white-water rafting athlete and tireless advocate for providing early breast cancer detection treatments to women in Brazil. When she learned of her cancer diagnosis, her first actions were to inform and rally support of her family, and then consume as much information possible about her particular form of breast cancer so that she could pursue the best available treatment.
As a competitive sportswoman, she also wanted to minimize the affect of cancer treatment on her team as they prepared for the Brazilian Rafting Championship. Anke is now celebrating her fifth year of victory against cancer.

What was the hardest part of your cancer experience?
“It was imagining how long it would take after radiotherapy and physiotherapy to get my normal life back. I was worried about limitations after treatment and how I would deal with this new situation.”

What did you learn from your cancer experience?
“That it was time to review my life and decide what is best for me, and to make myself stronger to get through any situation. This mindset and determination enabled me compete in the Brazilian Rafting Championship.”

What message of hope can offer others?
“My message of hope to others is never give up. Get yourself strong together with your family and friends. Have faith, think positive, and embrace a good, healthy lifestyle. Most importantly, get annual breast exams.”

What changes would you like to see your government make in the fight against cancer?
“I would like to see my government make it easier for women to access qualified mammography, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. I’d also like to see more information about breast cancer made available, particularly in terms of cancer prevention.”