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Being Strong Is the Only Choice for Vitality Member Maya Amalia Hernandez

“Because losing is not an option.” challenge. “I didn’t tell my doctor that I
“Being strong is the only choice was going to do the ride,” Hernandez re-
you have.” The power of these called. “I had decided that I wanted to find
words is something Maya Amalia the strength, courage, and ambition
Hernandez, Patient Liaison, HCP within me of wanting to overcome an ob-
Redondo Beach, knows all too well stacle in my life.”
from personal experience.
Although it was certainly a physical chal-
Hernandez was first diagnosed with lenge, Hernandez completed the race—
breast cancer in 2005. Early detec- one day after her last day of chemo. “I
tion allowed her to recover through was one of the last ones, but I did it,”
radiation treatment alone. Six years she said. “It was all about wanting to do
later, the cancer came back, and something different for myself, wanting
more dramatically and aggressively. to overcome the same obstacle twice.”
She needed to have a complete mas-
tectomy, as well as chemotherapy. Maya Hernandez completed the Rosarita/ Her children, 11 and 13, were part of her
Ensenada 50 Mile Fun Ride the day after her motivation for getting better. But ulti-
“After your fifth or sixth year of re- last day of chemotherapy. mately, it was her own will to recover
mission, you don’t expect cancer to come back,” said Her- that gave her the strength to fight cancer. “Yes, with the
nandez, a HCP employee for 13 years. The treatment chemo I got weak, but I thought to myself, ‘I’m not going
process started in September of last year; in October she to be in bed lying down. I am not going to let this over-
started chemo, which ended in come me.’”
May of this year.
These days, Hernandez uses her FitBug to keep track of
In January 2013, Hernandez decided it would be her year of her daily steps, and eats mindfully with plenty of salads,
determination. “I wanted to reach some of my own goals,” juices and vegetables in her regular diet. At the end of
said Hernandez, a Vitality member since it was offered at July, she participated in the American Cancer Society’s
HCP. Ever since high school, she had wanted to do a bike Relay for Life in San Clemente. She enjoys getting involved
race, the Rosarita/Ensenada 50 Mile Fun Ride. Not thinking with events relating to support for all kinds of cancer.
of where she would be with her treatment, she was the
11th registrant to sign up for the race, scheduled for May 5. And she uses everyday teachable moments to let people
know cancer is not cooties. When a mother at a store
“Two years ago, I supported my friends doing a bike ride,” scolded her young daughter for staring at Hernandez when
Hernandez said. “Last year when I started chemo, I she was bald from chemo, she gently explained to them
thought, ‘This is not going to get me down; it’s not going that her baldness was the result of chemo, but that it’s
to prohibit me from doing anything.’” okay if you see someone like her. “I never thought I would
experience being bald, but I opted not to use a wig,” Her-
And indeed it did not. Around February/March, she pur- nandez explained. “I wanted to show everyone: because I
chased her bike for the race. Her normal fitness routine cen- am bald doesn’t mean I’m not normal. I want people, in-
ters around walking, so getting used to bike riding was a cluding my own kids, to know how to accept that.”

All information in the Vitality program is HIPAA protected. Members have chosen to share their personal health accomplishments.
For more information about Vitality, visit www.powerofvitality.com. Contact Janet Galli for further program information.