Rachel Taylor's dreams of motherhood took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2012. After aggressive treatments, a new passion for health and walking was birthed. GirlTrek, the largest public health nonprofit for African American women and girls, has been there to support her healing every step of the way. Read Rachel's journey to radical self care below.
0n August 9, 2012, my life was forever changed.
Waking up to Stage 3B cervical cancer was a huge surprise as to how poor my health really was. What started out as a simple surgery to assist me in being able to conceive after years of trying, turned into a life-changing experience and moment that I will never forget.
As l looked around the hospital room, I was in disbelief: “How is this even possible? This can't be happening. I'm not supposed to be here. I didn't come here for cancer. I came here to have a baby,” I thought.
You May Also Like
After all this time, I have been preparing myself to bring life into this world—not to have life taken away from me. “This must be a dream, somebody, anybody... Please wake me up. I'll have to have another surgery? Wait! Radiation, what is that? Chemotherapy? No, this is not why I am here.” These were all the things that were racing through my head.
My heart was broken. I was numb, and I could not feel anything but disbelief. At that moment, I would have given anything to not be in that hospital hearing those words from this “miracle doctor” who was supposed to help me conceive.
Reality began to set in and I knew it was time I take a serious look at my whole environment and make some big changes. For the first time in my life, it hit me how unhealthy I had been my entire life. It was high time to give birth to a new way of living, thinking, and feeling.
Welcome to Team-Healthy
After 36 rounds of radiation therapy, six months of invasive chemotherapy, and five surgeries, I knew it was time to get busy moving. I started walking with a very close friend of mine from the moment I was released from my doctors to begin physical activity. Sometimes we would walk in our neighborhood and other times we would ride bikes to stay active.
You May Also Like
At a very young age, I always had the desire to empower others. My passion was so strong, and you couldn't tell me I didn't have the cure to cancer. There was just a real calling to save the world. To keep myself and others motivated, I would send out a group text to several friends. We called the group “Team-Healthy.”
Team-Healthy was a method that reminded me that we could encourage each other to stay moving and grooving as a team. Friends would reach out to me saying how helpful and uplifting it was to receive messages to keep them motivated, but still something was missing and I wanted more. I was ready to take Team-Healthy to the next level.
I later joined a boot camp with some friends. Every morning I was getting up at 5 a.m. to attend class. We learned a lot about the importance of nutrition and weight lifting. Our trainer was amazing. She really helped push me to limits that I didn't think were possible for me to achieve. I really enjoyed the fellowship with other women, sharing our struggles, and helping each other get stronger. Unfortunately, my work schedule started interfering with me being able to continue with boot camp. I ultimately went back to walking. With walking, I always felt alive. I had no knowledge that each step I took was leading me into the expansion of GirlTrek.
This Girl(Trek) Is On Fire!
I even started a step challenge at work to stay active. On the days that I couldn't get outside to walk, I would walk a couple of miles around the mall I worked in. Oftentimes, my friends wanted to know how many steps I had for the day because they became accustomed to seeing me trekking in the mall. However, somehow, I always managed to get off track. At another stage in my journey, I started selling health products, which for a while was going really well. It taught me different ways to market health products and remain conscience of the importance of vitamins.
During the course of me learning different ways to stay healthy, I would give up. However, the one thing I never stopped was walking. It gave me a renewed love for nature and spending time with the Creator and uplifted my spirit. The entire time I was literally trekking and healing every step of the way and didn't even realize it.
Some of my very close family (Asia, Jasmine, Hailey and Cherelle Darby) would visit from the city, and we would take country walks to catch up and empower each other to stay on the healthy path. Our connection and conversation could go on for hours and hours.
On a whim, we decided to plan a trip to Essence Festival 2016 in New Orleans. To my complete surprise, I was so moved and inspired by being in the presence of so many women from all over the nation. To receive the powerful message of GirlTrek and what it stands for was a defining moment for me. It was a realization that I did not have to give up on my health journey ever again. I now had a strong sisterhood that I could lean on for support. I could now give birth to my healthier self without giving up. I can accomplish this as a solo trekker and whenever possible with family and friends.
Oftentimes, my friends would tell me that they needed a workout partner, but our schedules didn't always allow for this. When trekking solo, the Creator is always there. We are truly never alone; our Girl Trek sisters are all over the world getting it done. Knowing that I don't ever have to stop trekking, solo or with a group, gives me the strength to use each opportunity given to me to do something amazing.
My family and I now say, Why not, self-care, go ahead give birth to a healthier you by taking 30 minutes out your day to self-love, self-heal, self-live, and self-nurture the GirlTrek way.
-- Rachel Taylor, GirlTrek, Sunset, Louisiana
GirlTrek's largest challenge of the year, the 40-Day Gratitude Trek kicked off Sunday, October 15th! Each year, we walk for 40 days straight leading up to Thanksgiving and practice random acts of kindness. At the end of the challenge, we will celebrate as a community and with our families, by hosting post-Thanksgiving Black Family 5k's. Our favorite new holiday tradition! Registration will open November 1st. In the meantime, use the next couple of days to prepare for what's ahead. Get your sneakers by the door. Block off time on your calendar. Tell as many people as possible what you are doing. This is how you ensure success! #GirlTrek #GratitudeGangster.
BlackDoctor.org is excited for this content partnership with GirlTrek to feature #BlackGirlHealing, an initiative created to document the narratives, struggles and successes of Black women on the journey to living their healthiest, most fulfilled lives through the habit of daily walking. This initiative will further the mission of decreasing health disparities and stigma among women and girls, and further the conversation that self care is a revolutionary act of love. Join the movement at www.girltrek.org.
