Pink smoke: Woman celebrates remission from breast cancer in style

By Isolde Walters via SWNS

This triumphant woman celebrated winning her six-year battle against aggressive breast cancer by igniting a pink smoke bomb and posing for a photoshoot.

Desiree Maldonado, 52, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2015 after her husband, Anthony, 53, detected a lump on her left breast.

A month later she underwent a double mastectomy but because triple negative breast cancer is so aggressive doctors only declare patients in remission once they have reached five years with no reoccurrence.

Desiree, a mother of two, from Stockton, California, said: “Five years is a big thing for triple negative breast cancer patients.

“It is extremely scary and not a lot of people make it to five years cancer-free - I was scared for the entire five years.

“When I hit that five years, it was like I could breathe again."

“I thought it would be cool to do some kind of statement photoshoot and we thought we would try the pink smoke.

“It was empowering.”

Desiree, who works in university procurement, believes that Anthony, a former welder, saved her life when he noticed the lump on her breast, just after she had canceled a mammogram appointment.

She added: “I got a letter about coming in for a mammogram and I wasn’t in the mood so I threw the letter away.

“My husband found the lump on my breast - he saved my life by finding that lump.”

Desiree opted for a double mastectomy, a surgery where both breasts are removed.

“I decided to cut them both off and move forward. I went through eight rounds of chemo and I lost my hair.”

But a year later, Desiree developed lymphedema in her arm - a side effect of breast cancer surgery.

Lymphedema creates an abnormal swelling in the body because lymph nodes, which were removed during the breast cancer surgery, can no longer circulate fluid around the body.

“It’s a debilitating condition,” Desiree said.

“Fluids go into my arm and they do not know how to get out so my arm swells up and it stays swollen.

“I have to wear compression garments daily.”

Despite still struggling with the side effects of her surgery, Desiree said it was important for her to mark her remission from breast cancer in June 2020.

She said: “It’s extremely important to celebrate the victories. With those milestones come so many memories that are tough.

“We can sit and rock in a corner or we can make a party out of it and plough forward.”

Desiree added that she is sharing her story to raise awareness of the importance of checking your breasts for lumps.

She added: “I post reminders on social media for women to check themselves and be aware of their bodies.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of. You have done nothing wrong to deserve a cancer diagnosis.”

Since her five-year remission party in June 2020, Desiree has celebrated another year of being cancer-free.