At age 38, Juliette Landgrave, who lives in Orange County, faced an unexpected diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of cancer that most often affects young, Latina women.
“The world came crashing down on me when I discovered a mass in my chest and they diagnosed me with a large tumor behind my chest, about the size of an orange. The healthy life I was leading is over. I didn’t have time to process the diagnosis, because the worst thing you can do when they tell you you have cancer is wait,” says Juliette.
Although the prognosis was grim, he decided to bravely face the disease, undergoing intensive treatments, including 16 rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, 25 radiation therapies and immunotherapy at City of Hope Hospital.
“I gained 45 pounds with all the treatments, but I always visualized myself, killing cancer.”
And she did it, when the doctors told her that she no longer had cancer, but feeling like herself again has taken her a long time.
“I can barely move now, do what I used to do,” he says.
Today – he says – he is still processing everything he has experienced.
“Thank God, my story has a happy ending. Now I want to help Hispanics so that they don’t find cancer when it’s too late. The type of cancer that I suffered affects people over 49 years old, I was 38, and at that age, one still cannot have mammograms. Furthermore, there was no history of breast cancer in my family. If that mass had not been detected in my breast, perhaps I would have continued with cancer for two or three years, and I would not have known.”
In addition – he comments – there is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion about cancer, and he wants to teach Latinos to become their own advocates in the health system, and to feel comfortable going to see a doctor.
“I had to advocate for myself, because the doctor I initially found wanted to remove my entire breast (mastectomy), and I only wanted them to remove the part with the cancer (lumpectomy), because I also don’t have the cancer genes. . It wasn’t until I went to City of Hope that I found doctors who understood me, treated me like a human being; and thanks to them, I will still be able to live many more years.”
Recovered from the cancer that turned her life upside down, Juliette is ready to participate along with other survivors of different types of cancer in the City of Hope float that will be part of the Rose Parade, which will be held on Wednesday, January 1, 2025 in Pasadena, California.
“I am very happy to be given this honor. More so now that my hair has grown out after being bald. I am going to represent many women warriors, cancer survivors. There will be eight of us on the City of Hope float,” he says happily.
The City of Hope comprehensive cancer center, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, will participate in the 2025 Rose Parade with its 51st float titled “A Beautiful Day for Hope.” .
On the float, cancer and diabetes survivors will ride, along with City of Hope doctors, from their center in Los Angeles and their locations in Orange County, California; Atlanta; Chicago; and Phoenix.
Participants include Latino patients Juliette Landgrave of Orange and José Santos of Chicago, who will join the organization’s eight patients who overcame various obstacles to survive cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, Latinos experience twice the incidence of liver and stomach cancer, nearly 40% higher prevalence of cervical cancer; and worse outcomes are seen for other types of cancer due to late diagnoses and limited access to medical care.
About the City of Hope float
It will be 20 feet tall and will have more than 50,000 flowers as well as two majestic peacocks and the Spirit of Life sculpture while two adults lift a child.
The design of the float, built by Phoenix Decorating Companyhighlights the key words of City of Hope’s mission: hope, compassion, discovery, innovation and inclusion.
City of Hope, founded in 1913, has become one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States and a leading center for research into diabetes and other serious diseases.
As an independent entity designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a comprehensive cancer center, City of Hope offers a unique integration model to patients, encompassing cancer care, research, development, academia, training, and innovation initiatives.