Singer-Songwriter,
Soraya, Offers Message Of Hope To Women With Breast Cancer
A voice of hope and survival for women with breast cancer, Latina singer-songwriter
Soraya is using her powerful voice for more than just hit records. As an advocate
for breast cancer support and education, she is using her personal experiences
to inspire women and show them that they can live with their disease.
Soraya, a successful star on the Latin music scene, had two No. 1 songs on
Billboard's Latin Pop Airplay charts and was touring with other renowned artists
like Sting, Alanis Morissette and Natalie Merchant. In the year 2000, just
two weeks before embarking on an international tour to promote her third album,
she discovered a lump in her breast while conducting a routine self-exam. She
was diagnosed with breast cancer at the young age of 31. Having lost her mother,
grandmother and maternal aunt to breast cancer, Soraya knew better than most
that she needed to fight her disease with everything she had. Soraya focused
her attention on her treatment and faced her condition with the help of her
medical team, family, friends, faith and her music.
"Women need to know that breast cancer is not the death sentence it once was,"
said Soraya. "Breast cancer awareness, education and medicine have come a long
way. The options available helped me battle breast cancer. My medical team
and I decided on a holistic treatment approach that included dietary changes,
radiation, surgery and a chemotherapy regimen that included the drug Taxotere,
all of which contributed to my recovery."
Today, Soraya is feeling stronger than ever and
the singer is using her story of survival to inspire other women who face a
breast cancer diagnosis. She recently wrote and recorded No One Else, a
song that chronicles her emotional and physical journey fighting breast cancer.
As an extension of her own breast cancer mission, Soraya is also spreading the
word about "Living With It", a unique support program that provides both newly
diagnosed and recurrent breast cancer patients with personalized information
on treatment options, coping strategies and financial advice. Soraya has also
made her song No One Else exclusively available through www.livingwithit.org.
Visitors can download the single for free and each time Aventis Oncology will
donate $1 towards Latina and Hispanic breast cancer educational programs.
"My message for women facing breast cancer is to never give up hope. I want
them to know that seeking out the right support was a part of my strength and
healing," said Soraya. "Spreading the word about 'Living With It' is part of
my mission, because the program complements the messages in my music - supporting
the whole woman, not just the breast cancer patient."
Women can access the "Living With It" program on the Internet at www.livingwithit.org,
or by calling 1-877-LIVINGWITHIT (1-877-548-4649). In addition to easy-to-understand,
comprehensive information that can aid in the coping process on a variety of
topics, women who enroll in the "Living With It" program can take advantage
of the special offers including Eating Well Through Cancer, a
cookbook that offers recipes and tips specifically aimed at the nutritional
needs of cancer patients. Other informational books and videos on breast cancer
support are also available.
"I strongly encourage women who are facing breast cancer to take charge of
their breast health and build a strong support network," said Soraya. "Programs
such as 'Living With It' are valuable resources in the fight against breast
cancer and the journey towards recovery."
In the fall of 2002, Soraya went back to the studio and began recording her
fourth album, Soraya. Recently released on EMI Latin, Soraya
features songs in both Spanish and English - songs so intimate and energized
they naturally form an album that can't help but communicate how the singer
is feeling today: positive, empowered, energetic and dedicated, both to her
music and her message that women with cancer today may live with it and survive.
Click here for more information on breast health.
Created: 7/27/2003  - Donnica Moore, M.D.