A Serious Illness Opened her Eyes
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After hearing the diagnosis of breast cancer, the 44-year-old Angela Trimburová started to live as if she only had two years left. She changed the way she spent her time, the path her career took, she abandoned the pursuit of perfection and the need to be in control.
Addiction, Perfectionism and Control
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Before that I was addicted to everyone and everything,” shares the actress, dancer and choreographer. She mainly depended on the dance club she ran and the people around it.
“I was a meticulous person with an inexhaustible amount of energy. But I styled myself into that role,but I didn’t feel that way inside. I had to have everything under control. Who do you write to? Who do you communicate with? I needed to know about everything.”
During the course of the treatment, she gradually realized that the lack of connection with her family was behind it. “They weren’t there for me. my sister and I are close, but we weren’t then. Mom and Dad nothing. ‘Chosen family’ was everything to me. I clung to those people for fear of losing them.”
goodbye Beloved Breasts,Breastfeeding and Bonding
The diagnosis prompted her to connect with her biological family. Contact with mother, father and sister also evoked thoughts of own motherhood.
At that time, thirty-eight-year-old Angela had to accept a series of overwhelming facts. “You have to say ‘goodbye’ to your breasts, which are symbols of motherhood and sexuality. Accept the fact that you won’t be able to breastfeed, to have children.”
She had never thought before that she could lose these “obvious things”. “All at once you are stripped of many things that connected you to yourself and to the future.”
The Tension Gave Way to comedy and Subtlety
The therapist recommended the key to the best possible recovery. She said the right decision is always…
## The Two-Year Rule: A Dancer’s Lesson on Breast Cancer
Photo: Angela Trimbur DanceHer fun dance lessons are always sold out.
The two-year rule
because she publicly shared what she was going through, many people came up to her and thanked her, saying that their mom had cancer. When Angela asked about her mother,they said that her illness returned two years later.
“I kept hearing about the disease coming back around the two-year mark. It started to feel like a pattern, a rule,” Angela Trimbur, a dance instructor, shares. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
This observation led her to a crucial realization: many women experience a recurrence of breast cancer approximately two years after initial treatment. This isn’t a medical certainty, but a recurring theme in the stories she encountered.
“I started to think, what if we treated the first two years after treatment as a critical period? What if we focused on lifestyle changes, regular check-ups, and mental well-being during those years?” she wondered.
Angela believes that this heightened awareness and proactive approach could perhaps improve outcomes and reduce the risk of recurrence. She emphasizes the importance of not just surviving cancer, but thriving afterward.
Her own experience fueled this belief. After undergoing a lumpectomy and radiation, she focused on a healthy diet, regular exercise (including dance, of course!), and prioritizing her mental health. She continues to attend regular check-ups and remains vigilant about any changes in her body.