CLEVELAND — It's a rainy Wednesday morning in October at Cleveland Clinic's Foundation Room and we're meeting with two women diagnosed with breast cancer.
They were strangers before today, but when they leave, they'll be connected for life.
Mauriel Davis, 40, is a mother of two. She was diagnosed back in 2012, just one week after her own mother. Her mom bravely battled stage four until she passed in 2016.
In her mother's honor, Mauriel's been advocating and mentoring other women.
"I'm able to mentor women whose stories are similar to mine and whose stories are similar to my mother," Mauriel said.
Kaitlin D'Amico is a 38-year-old, devoted wife and mother of three. She's also a breast cancer warrior. In fact, exactly one week after she sat down with us, she underwent a double mastectomy.
"Once pathology comes back, then I will know what the next course of treatment is," Kaitlin said.
The Conversation
There were no written out questions and no cue cards. Just two women -- a pink sisterhood -- chatting about things only those on the inside understand.
Mauriel: "I had my mastectomy October 19, 2012."
Kaitlin: "And I'm having mine October 19, 2022."
Mauriel: "So exactly 10 years later."
Kaitlin: "And I'm starting on your 10th year on my journey. Oh, we're gonna be sisters."
Mauriel: "Yes, for sure."
Mauriel's Story
"So my mom actually felt a lump in her breast. I'll never forget this ... she came over my house one day and I was in the driveway and she was like, 'Mauriel, something's not right. I swear, my heart just sank to my stomach.
"I was like, 'You need to go get that checked out.' I was like, 'But you know what? I feel something too.' I said, 'Feel this.' It was like a dime size, pea size lump. Right here on the side of my right breast."
Kaitlin's Story
"After I stopped nursing my daughter for 15 months, I still was having discharge out of my left nipple. Then when I had my (breast) reduction, they did pathology and it said that the tissues had bad cells or something along those lines. And then it was like boom, boom, boom. Then I found out on a Friday afternoon and I called my boss and I clocked out right away because I work from home. I called my husband and he went and picked up my daughter because I was crying."
Chemotherapy
Kaitlin: "I heard your appetite sometimes can change?"
Mauriel: "You know, probably right after the chemo treatment that week, my appetite was suppressed a little bit, but I was fine the other two weeks. The fifth and sixth treatments were kind of hard because your body is tired.
Kaitlin: "That's what I've heard -- the biggest thing from other women has been exhaustion."
Mauriel: "Yeah. I was like really tired."
Recovery from Surgery
Mauriel: "I would definitely tell you to make sure you have a recliner and zip up, buttons open. Nothing to go over your head."
Kaitlin: "Right, because that's gonna hurt probably to move my arms."
Mauriel: "Like, robes and, you know, pajamas that open in the front."
All the Feelings
Kaitlin: "My youngest is autistic. We just, you know, recently went through this in the last year. So, she's got lots of anxiety."
Mauriel: "How old is she?"
Kaitlin: "She's gonna be eight on the 19th. So, you know, I don't wanna give her too much, but I want her to know it's okay. She was like, 'But mommy, I will always love you with or without breasts and you're gonna be the same mommy.' And then, you know, you just start crying.
"I do have my moments. A lot of the times they're at home obviously kind of behind closed doors. My husband will be ready to go to bed and I'll start crying and he's like, 'What's wrong?' And I'm like, you know, 'I just don't know how to feel about all of this.'"
Mauriel: "Right. Like, you know, everybody starts calling you for appointment. Everybody starts, I mean, 'You need to go here, you need to go there, you need to do this.' So that was really overwhelming."
Staying Hopeful
Mauriel: "One thing that I focused on is the acronym: Push pray until something happens.
Kaitlin: "Absolutely."
Mauriel: "And also, speak life. And if there's anybody around you not speaking life, just don't let them in your space while you're going through this journey."
Forever Bonded
Mauriel: "I wanna tell you that I can take you under my wings. That's what I feel like. That's what it's all about. That's why I'm still here. That's why I still do the things that I do."
Kaitlin: "Well, I don't think I can thank you enough ... words can't thank you enough. I'm so glad that I had the chance to have met you and take you on my journey with me because you've already been through it. I couldn't ask for more support from you. I feel like the more we talk, the more we can help other women out there that might be sitting there and say that they're afraid to go get their mammogram."
Two pink sisters: Different paths, but just as purposeful. They are strong, brave, beautiful, and bonded for life.
Kaitlin's family has set up a GoFundMe for her to help her through this challenging time. If you'd like to help, click HERE.
Breast Cancer Resources
Editor's Note: The following video is from a previous, unrelated report.
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