The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A 30-year-old Grand Bahama mother is celebrating a second chance at life after overcoming breast cancer less than a year after losing her own mother to the disease.

Desire Sands was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in April 2025, seven months after her mother died from the same disease.

Her life changed drastically, from being able to spend time playing with her young son to travelling to New Providence every few weeks for chemotherapy at Princess Margaret Hospital’s Oncology Clinic.

Ms Sands recalled that on August 10, a friend accompanied her to an appointment with her oncologist in Grand Bahama. Little did she know she would receive the life-changing news she had been waiting for.

“He went over my pathology results as well as blood test results and let me know the good news. My initial reaction was emotional because that’s something I’ve been waiting to hear,” Ms Sands said.

“I’m still processing it honestly and I was excited to give the good news to the same persons I gave the bad news to when I first got diagnosed.”

Ms Sands said being cancer-free feels like a second chance to live life even more fully than she did before, adding she always tried to live to the fullest.

Her oncologist encouraged her to go back to school, learn a new skill and reminded her that it was “time to start living life.”

However, Ms Sands’ journey to becoming cancer-free was not smooth.

During her final four rounds of chemotherapy, her body struggled to adapt to the treatment.

Ms Sands, who has sickle cell disease, said the new medication caused joint pain, making it difficult to determine whether the pain was from a sickle cell crisis or the chemotherapy.

She was hospitalised twice and required three blood transfusions at one point.

Asked if she ever feared she would not survive, Ms Sands said no.

“I never allowed negative thoughts to overwhelm me. Anytime something happened I just took it as “I’m not going to rush my process” even though I wanted to be done quickly.”

One of the most difficult parts of her journey was trying to remain strong for her three-year-old son.

Ms Sands noted her son would sometimes notice when she was fatigued or unwell and would often ask how she was feeling.

She said she tried to explain her condition to him in the best way she could.

“He began to have an understanding of my situation. After treatments he would kiss my port or just ask if I was okay. And I know I needed to keep going for him because he saw me at my lows and I wanted him to see the good too,” she said.

Ms Sands added her experience with cancer has given her a new appreciation for life and credited her faith in God as a major factor in her journey.

Her family has long been affected by cancer, and she was diagnosed only months after burying her mother.

Despite still grieving her mother, Ms Sands said her mother remained in her heart throughout her battle and described her as an inspiration.

Now beginning what she considers a new chapter in her life, Ms Sands urged other women going through cancer to remain positive and believe they can overcome the disease.

She continued: “Cancer isn’t a death sentence. We don’t celebrate the ones that fight to end and won as much so people automatically think negative when diagnosed. But once you lean on God’s strength and do as your doctor says your journey will be a good one.”