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GML Correspondent
When Tobagonian Onika Thompson-Toney was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, her first thought was that she was going to die.
At 53, she can now look back on that frightening chapter of her life with a sense of gratitude, having survived a battle that required the removal of her left breast and 25 lymph nodes, tested her faith and changed her outlook on life.
But the memory of those early days remains vivid for the woman who grew up in Darrel Spring and moved to Whim when she got married.
“My first reaction was this is it for me, this is a death sentence. I just wanted to know how long I had again with my family,” Thompson-Toney recalled.
A diagnosis that shook her family
The diagnosis was not simply a personal health crisis. It was the first time anyone in her family had been diagnosed with cancer, leaving her relatives frightened and traumatised as they struggled to understand what lay ahead.
“What next, what to do,” she said, describing the uncertainty that gripped the family.
Suddenly, the future she had taken for granted was clouded by questions about her survival, her children and whether she would live to see her family grow.
Today, Onika is grateful that she has been given that opportunity.
She has watched her sons grow into young men and has become a grandmother—milestones she now appreciates even more deeply because of what she endured.
“I am still around to see my sons grow into young men and I also have grandchildren,” she said.
For Onika, that is one of the most meaningful outcomes of her cancer journey.
Facing the loss of a breast
Among the most traumatic aspects of her treatment was the removal of her breast.
Although she knew she had cancer, she said she had not expected the treatment to involve such a life-changing operation.
“I never thought they were going to remove my breast, which they did,” she said.
After the mastectomy, surgeons also removed lymph nodes to help determine whether the cancer had spread.
The procedures were physically and emotionally challenging, forcing her to confront changes to her body that she had not anticipated.
She underwent a radical mastectomy, a major operation involving the removal of breast tissue and, depending on the procedure, additional surrounding tissue and lymph nodes.
The experience was traumatic, but it formed part of the treatment she needed to address the disease.
Onika was given the opportunity to undergo her medical procedures in Trinidad, allowing her to receive treatment while navigating the uncertainty that accompanied her diagnosis.
She described the overall experience as bittersweet—a difficult period that brought pain and fear, but also an opportunity to fight for her life.
Faith through the fear
As she confronted the reality of cancer, Onika said her faith became an important source of strength.
Coming from a praying household, she had grown up understanding the importance of prayer, a practice she relied on heavily during her illness.
Her diagnosis tested that faith, but she continued to pray as she faced treatment and the possibility of an uncertain future.
“I prayed a lot, according to my grandmother, I prayed without ceasing and that helped me a lot,” she said.
Prayer did not remove the challenges of treatment, but it helped her cope with the fear and emotional strain of her circumstances.
Surviving cancer has become a positive chapter in Onika’s life, not because the experience was easy, but because of what she has been able to appreciate since then.
She now views life through the lens of someone who understands how quickly circumstances can change and how precious time with loved ones can be.
Learning to live beyond cancer
Although the most difficult part of her treatment is behind her, Onika’s journey has not ended.
She continues to attend clinic appointments every four months for medical checks, a routine reminder that surviving cancer also means remaining vigilant about her health.
“It’s an ongoing battle, but it’s not as when I was first diagnosed,” she said.
Over time, she has become more comfortable with her body and has refused to allow the loss of a breast to dictate how she dresses or lives.
She wears a wide range of clothing, including swimwear and strapless outfits, and says she has reached a point where she is sometimes so accustomed to her body that she forgets she has only one breast.
“Sometimes I forget that I have one breast,” she said.
Her attitude reflects a personal adjustment that has taken place since her surgery—one in which she has learnt to live with the physical changes without allowing them to define her identity.
For women who may fear the changes that breast cancer treatment can bring, her experience offers a reminder that life after a mastectomy can still include confidence, personal freedom and everyday pleasures.
A message to other women
Onika wants other women to take their health seriously and not allow fear or assumptions about who can develop cancer to prevent them from seeking medical attention.
She urged women to get screened, follow their doctors’ advice and keep up with recommended medical checks.
Her message is grounded in the reality that cancer can affect people regardless of their background or circumstances.
“We must always remember that cancer has no respect for anyone, it has nothing to do with age, race, complexion, nothing of the sort,” she said.
Onika’s diagnosis, which once felt like a death sentence, has become part of a much larger story—one of treatment, faith, adjustment and the joy of remaining present in the lives of those she loves.
She cannot erase the trauma of losing a breast or the fear that accompanied her diagnosis. Nor can she forget the uncertainty her family faced when they first heard the news.
But she has moved beyond those first moments of despair to embrace the life she still has.
English (US) ·