A mother persistently sought answers for a decade regarding concerning symptoms that medical professionals dismissed as “anxiety.” Tameika McBride had been grappling with symptoms since 2015, but doctors continuously reassured her that nothing was amiss, as her blood tests consistently showed no abnormalities.
Despite her intuition that something was off, it wasn’t until she noticed a significant swelling in her neck a few weeks after giving birth to her son that she demanded further investigation. Following initial reassurances that the swelling was likely benign, an ultrasound revealed her worst fears: a cancer diagnosis.
Expressing her emotional turmoil, the 30-year-old mother of two shared, “I was devastated and felt like it was a death sentence. With two young children, aged four and two, I went into panic mode. It was a traumatic experience – I was overwhelmed, having constant breakdowns and couldn’t stop crying.”
Recalling her journey, Tameika recounted, “I repeatedly visited my doctor about my symptoms, only to be told it was anxiety and that my blood work was normal. Despite not being severely impacted by the symptoms and feeling content overall, I eventually normalized how I was feeling.”
Amid her pregnancy in 2019, Tameika was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, attributing it to her pregnancy and prescribed medication. Upon discontinuing the medication post-pregnancy, she experienced weight gain and noticeable swelling, yet was once again assured her blood work was clear.
In August 2023, six weeks post-delivery, Tameika observed a visible enlargement of her thyroid for the first time, leading her to seek medical attention. Despite concerns of postpartum thyroiditis, subsequent scans revealed ambiguous findings that were not followed up on, prompting her to pause further investigations as a fatigued, breastfeeding mother of two.
However, in November 2024, the discovery of a swollen lymph node reignited her worries. Initially dismissed as harmless, persistent concerns led to a subsequent ultrasound, swiftly confirming the presence of cancer. The sudden revelation, after years of grappling with undiagnosed symptoms, left her overwhelmed and heartbroken.
Following a CT scan and biopsy, Tameika underwent a thyroidectomy and a left modified radical neck dissection in April, where 34 lymph nodes were removed, with 12 testing positive for cancer. Additionally, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition targeting the thyroid gland, exacerbating her health challenges.
Further tests unveiled her cancer as a rare and aggressive variant, spreading more extensively than anticipated, placing her in a high-risk category. Subsequently, she underwent radioactive iodine treatment in June to eradicate remaining cancerous cells, enduring isolation from her family for 24 hours.
Post-surgery scans revealed two lingering cancerous lymph nodes, prompting ongoing radioactive iodine treatment. She is concurrently receiving high-dose Vitamin C infusions as recommended by an integrative medicine doctor to combat the disease.
Reflecting on her arduous journey, Tameika expressed gratitude for the support received, acknowledging the challenges of battling post-cancer fatigue and uncertainties while striving to remain resilient for her children. Her fundraising page can be accessed for those interested in supporting her fight against thyroid cancer.