DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) —Chequita Paulk, a two-time survivor of triple-negative breast cancer, said a self-exam found her cancer this year and urged others to get checked early.

Paulk said she was first diagnosed in 2015 and was an 11-year survivor before being diagnosed again this year. She said she still has treatments ahead, including radiation that she said will probably start next month.

Self-exams and early detection

Paulk said she knew nothing about early detection or self-exams until she turned 40. On her 40th birthday, Katoria King, a registered nurse whom Paulk called “my boo,” told her to start getting a mammogram once a year and to check herself every month, Paulk said. Paulk said King had her lie on her sofa and showed her how to do a self-exam. Paulk said King has since died.

About six months later, Paulk said, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She said her breast hurt for more than a year before the cancer was found the first time, and mammograms came back negative.

“Early detection saves lives. Self-exams saves lives,” Paulk said. “And the reason why I say that is because that’s what saved my life.”

This year, Paulk said, the cancer was in both breasts. She said she had a lot of pain in her left breast. In her right breast, she said she touched herself while yawning and felt a lump on top of the breast. She said she went to the doctor’s office when she felt the lump.

Paulk said anyone who wants to learn how to do a self-exam can come to her home and she will show them.

Treatment

Paulk said she was in denial, upset, ashamed and embarrassed when she received her first diagnosis. She said she felt she had done something wrong. She said she then began talking to God about it and began to accept it.

She said she did not want to take chemotherapy again this year. Paulk said she went to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and to Emory to try to get into a clinical trial. She said she was not able to get into one because the type of cancer she had this time was new and the doctor had not done any research for a clinical trial. She said she had to take chemotherapy.

Paulk described a chemotherapy drug she called “the red devil.” She said the drug is red, comes in a large syringe and is injected slowly by staff wearing a suit and gloves. She said it made her sick, made her not want to eat, took away her taste buds and caused fevers and headaches. She said that this year, doctors told her she would not have to take that drug but still gave her an aggressive chemotherapy.

Paulk said she finished her last chemotherapy treatment Aug. 19. She said she feels good, but she is tired a lot and still gets exhausted. She said that morning she felt like sores were trying to come back in her mouth.

Support from family and community

Paulk said her family, church family and community have supported her. She said people send her messages and texts, many took her to treatments, family members made sure she ate every day and family members were with her when she went into surgery. She said they also supported her during her first diagnosis.

Paulk said she held a survivor walk in Douglas about two weeks ago, and said it was the first parade held in the community. She said she and King had talked about going to Texas to walk with survivors but were not able to. Paulk said she decided to hold her own walk in Douglas, and that the community supported her by purchasing shirts. She said she cried.

Paulk said a person in Atlanta, Georgia, sent her a shirt. She said she did not know the person was making it and wanted to thank her.

Paulk said her sister, Lisa, was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and is a three-year survivor. Paulk said she encouraged her sister during her fight.

Message to others

Paulk said she has a hashtag on her Facebook page that says “strong faith, strong finish.”

“When you’re going through a cancer, you have to ask for help,” Paulk said. “You can’t do it by yourself.”

She said the first help a person needs is from God, and that people should also ask for help from doctors and their community.

Paulk urged people to get checked even if they are afraid of what they might hear. “Listen to your body,” she said. “Your body talks to you if you will listen to it.”

When asked what she would tell King, Paulk said: “Thank you for showing me how to do self-exams.” She said she also would tell her, “I love you so much.”

Paulk said she is six years older than King and that they called each other “my boo.”

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