When Carla Melchoir was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 after successfully beating it twice before, it felt like a sucker punch. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to face the fight again. Adding to her anxiety was the rarity of her diagnosis which made it a struggle to locate someone in her home country of Italy who could understand her fears and emotions.
“Even with the help of doctors and local organizations, I couldn’t find anyone in Europe who had fought three primary breast cancers and were doing well to help me see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Carla.
An Instant Connection
The common experience Carla and Diane faced is what brought them together, but it was common ground that led to a cross-continent friendship. “Carla is so generous, gracious and an open spirit, so it was so easy to connect with her right from the beginning,” said Diane.
Through phone calls, text messages and video chats, Diane supported Carla through her treatment journey which included months of chemotherapy followed by a double mastectomy. Having undergone similar treatment, Diane was able to provide Carla with relatable advice and honesty about the journey ahead. Diane’s courage and the fact that she had survived and was now thriving helped Carla remain strong and positive.
“Diane was always there for me when I needed someone to talk to and was supportive and understanding,” said Carla.
Committed to giving back to the organization that gave her strength during her second and third cancer recurrence, Diane has mentored over 200 people navigating a cancer diagnosis and treatment through Cancer Hope Network.
After Diane’s first battle with breast cancer, a friend told her about Cancer Hope Network, and she was immediately driven to its mission and community. She completed training to become a volunteer peer mentor in 2000 and then two years later, she joined the organization as an employee helping to facilitate mentor and mentee matches. What she didn’t expect at the time was that she would face a second cancer diagnosis in 2002 and a third in 2007. Now retired, Diane remains committed to helping people hold onto hope as a mentor.
“Hope is your anchor to do what you need to do to get better,” says Diane. “A diagnosis doesn’t mean you give up. It means you get busy finding people you can trust to help you work towards getting better.”
Finding Gratitude and a Lifelong Friendship
Diane and Carla just celebrated three years of their friendship, which also means three years cancer-free for Carla. They are both advocates for their own health and refuse to take any day for granted.
“Every morning that we wake up and are alive and fine, we feel grateful for that and then we take on the day, said Carla.”
Carla is one of the first patients participating in a molecular residual disease (MRD) test, a diagnostic tool used to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in an effort to identify cancer cells before they metastasize, something that could be especially useful in patients prone to recurrence.
The mentor and mentee duo connect to get each other through regular doctor’s appointments and screenings. Diane is even hoping to plan a trip with her husband to Italy to finally meet Carla in person.
“If you experienced cancer, it will always be a piece of your life, but don’t make it your whole life,” says Carla.
