A local woman has found a way to turn tragedy into triumph during her long battle with cancer.
Rebecca Theriaque has spent the last eight years of her life battling cancer, fighting not only for herself but also for everyone else.
“When I went to deliver my son, he got the cord wrapped around himself and they did an emergency C-Section and found what they thought was ovarian cancer,” she said.
It turned out to be a much more rare form of cancer that has covered portions of her abdominal lining, but at the time of her diagnosis, her fight was just beginning.
“My mother played a big role in my life helping me through treatment and taking care of my son and she was really an integral part in my cancer journey. Unfortunately, she was so busy taking care of me that she didn’t take the time to take care of herself,” said Theriaque.
Then her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and only had two months to live.
“When she said that she was ugly, that was something I could do something about, so I ran to CVS and by the end of the night, I had every gray hair covered and every fingernail painted and she looked awesome. So I said ‘Mom, how do you feel?’ and she said, 'Better.' Then she grabbed my hand and said ‘You know, after I’m gone, you should find a way to do this for other people,’” said Theriaque.
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Theriaque went to cosmetology school and began volunteering with the American Cancer Society’s Look Good Feel Better program, which visits hospitals with an arsenal of makeup and hair treatments to help women add life and color to their physical appearance.
Theriaque and the rest of the members of the American Cancer Society will be celebrating life at the NBC Connecticut Health and Wellness Festival this weekend.
Theriaque is also participating in Sunday’s Making Strides walk for breast cancer and they’re still looking for teams to sign up and walk with them.
