Former Miss Universe Trinidad and Tobago and senator Nicole Dyer-Griffith has revealed a stage three breast cancer diagnosis. Dyer-Griffith, the wife of former police commissioner Gary Griffith, posted a video on Facebook showing her head shaved and discussing her diagnosis and treatment.
She said she was diagnosed earlier this year and her journey has been one from distress to discovery.
She said she was working with a medical team in Trinidad and has already completed six rounds of chemotherapy, with two more rounds to go before moving forward with her next phase of treatment.
In the two-minute video, titled “A Message from Nicole Dyer-Griffith”, she said, “Yes, I know I look a little different. You may recall earlier this year I hosted the O2N Style at O2 Park event.
“Well, it was the week of that event I was also diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. The journey thus far has been one from distress to discovery.”
But she noted: “I’ve unearthed such power, peace and perseverance that I can safely say this chapter has truly made me find unique methods of originating not only myself, but those who are also traversing this journey along with me.”
Dyer-Griffith said her family, including her husband—the political leader of the National Transformation Alliance—as well as her close friends have been supportive through her diagnosis.
“I’ve chosen to bring my extended family and friends into the loop, so you may understand why I have been unable to accept so many of your invitations and requests to speak.
“I do have a bit of a journey again, as I am currently on my sixth round of chemotherapy and I have two more to go, and then we plan for phase two which is going to be surgery; and once all goes well, we move on to stage three, which is radiation therapy.
“As such, I thank you in advance for your outpouring of love and support, and I shall attempt to keep you in the loop as I continue to progress along this journey,” Dyer-Griffith said.
Managing the experience
In a phone interview with the Sunday Express yesterday, Dyer-Griffith said she did her required health checks yearly. “Things happen…and this happened, even though I conducted my normal annual check-up and my self-examination and I didn’t feel anything. My mammogram was inconclusive so I followed that up with an ultrasound where they found the abnormalities.
“I wasn’t sick or anything. There were some things that were noticeable but nothing too abnormal. I do all of my normal annual checks and I do my self-checks and I didn’t feel anything,” she said.
She said her research has put her in a good place mentally to go through the process of getting better. “I have a nursing background so I started doing my research, and one of the things that I’ve found is there is an absence of managing the phases of the human experiences with this disease.
“They don’t tell you the phases you go through as an individual, and this is the gap that I am seeking to fill, because it’s a real gap.
“I have known many people and in my own family as well who have had to manage cancer, and it is quite different when you experience something for yourself. I’m a registered nurse and I manage both patients and family, but nothing prepares you to experience this personally,” Dyer-Griffith said.
She said she plans to share the important lessons she has already learned.
“Coming out of this, there are interventions that I’ve crafted that will help others going through this. I am going to present certain things given by God in terms of how to manage, which has been a blessing in a strange way.
“My brain is a management-style brain, so I went into managing-style mode; so I designed a trajectory to manage this and not to have the experience manage me,” Dyer-Griffith said.
She added, “I’ve always been spiritual. Everything life throws my way, I have been able manage it. It’s true that this is a significant thing, but it’s another thing to manage.
“I’ve always been blessed to have God show me a way to manage with grace. I am also blessed to have a strong family and strong sense of belief in God’s grace. My husband has been there with me 100%.
“I have to beg my family to do something, get out the house, because it is important for them to maintain some sense of normalcy. Regardless of the outcome, I’m good. Because God is great,” Dyer-Griffith said.
She shared this advice to women: “Always follow up your mammogram with an ultrasound.”