Breast cancer survivor shares path to becoming cancer-free

ShareAdd Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on GoogleSAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Octavia Diaz was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2025 after living with a lump under her arm for nearly three years, she said. Now cancer-free, she finished her 30th and last round of radiation this month.According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer is the second most common cancer found in women, with more than 350,000 women estimated to be impacted in 2026. One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the foundation.Diagnosis after lump under armDiaz said she never missed her yearly mammogram and did not connect the lump under her arm to breast cancer. “Because it was under my arm, I didn’t think to link it, you know, to something going on with my breasts,” she said.Diaz said she learned of the diagnosis in December 2025. “This was December of 2025 and I’m like, Merry Christmas to me. You get cancer. And immediately from there, cancer became my life,” she said. She credits friends and family with helping save her life.Diaz completed six rounds of chemotherapy, finishing in June. “I did six rounds of chemo. I finished chemo in June. I rang the bell 6-11-2026,” she said.Life after treatment“October is not just getting in pink, it’s a lifestyle now,” Diaz said.Diaz said uncertainty remains after treatment ends. “Even though it may be over, treatment, certain treatments, it’s never over for us because we don’t know what the next test from imaging, blood work, is this gonna be all clear? Is it, is it, they’re gonna find something?” she said.Diaz said protecting her daughter is top of mind. “The mental, it plays, I dont think people understand that, something about my daughter, ya know having to get tested, ya know, stay on top of that and make sure she’s staying on top of it, getting tested,” she said.Donna Thompson, oncology nurse navigator at Memorial Health, said, “As we go through every milestone in treatment, no matter how small, we celebrate those victories, we celebrate the fact that we’re one step closer to our cure.”Diaz and Thompson say to never wait, be proactive, get yearly mammograms and go to the doctor if something feels wrong.Copyright 2026 WTOC. All rights reserved.SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Octavia Diaz was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2025 after living with a lump under her arm for nearly three years, she said. Now cancer-free, she finished her 30th and last round of radiation this month.According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer is the second most common cancer found in women, with more than 350,000 women estimated to be impacted in 2026. One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the foundation.Diagnosis after lump under armDiaz said she never missed her yearly mammogram and did not connect the lump under her arm to breast cancer. “Because it was under my arm, I didn’t think to link it, you know, to something going on with my breasts,” she said.Diaz said she learned of the diagnosis in December 2025. “This was December of 2025 and I’m like, Merry Christmas to me. You get cancer. And immediately from there, cancer became my life,” she said. She credits friends and family with helping save her life.Diaz completed six rounds of chemotherapy, finishing in June. “I did six rounds of chemo. I finished chemo in June. I rang the bell 6-11-2026,” she said.Life after treatment“October is not just getting in pink, it’s a lifestyle now,” Diaz said.Diaz said uncertainty remains after treatment ends. “Even though it may be over, treatment, certain treatments, it’s never over for us because we don’t know what the next test from imaging, blood work, is this gonna be all clear? Is it, is it, they’re gonna find something?” she said.Diaz said protecting her daughter is top of mind. “The mental, it plays, I dont think people understand that, something about my daughter, ya know having to get tested, ya know, stay on top of that and make sure she’s staying on top of it, getting tested,” she said.Donna Thompson, oncology nurse navigator at Memorial Health, said, “As we go through every milestone in treatment, no matter how small, we celebrate those victories, we celebrate the fact that we’re one step closer to our cure.”Diaz and Thompson say to never wait, be proactive, get yearly mammograms and go to the doctor if something feels wrong.