Five years ago, Lorena Meritano's life changed: she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the news, she found the strength to undertake, with the help of the best Argentine specialists, the necessary medical treatment to fight the disease. In total, there were ten surgeries and sixteen chemotherapy sessions that partially helped her regain her health. She has not yet been discharged; the battle continues, and she is in a stage known as remission.

To cope as best as possible with a situation for which there are no manuals or checklists, the Argentine actress, originally from Concordia, Entre Ríos Province, and widely recognized in Latin America for her roles in telenovelas such as Prisionera de Amor, Ecomoda, Pasión de Gavilanes, Mujeres Asesinas, among others, is writing a memoir to be published by Penguin Random House in October. Additionally, she gives lectures about her battle against cancer because she believes that sharing her experience can help people make better decisions when facing illnesses. From Buenos Aires, Lorena Meritano spoke exclusively to Xperlife about this tough period, the lessons it taught her, and the importance of acting promptly.

¿How efficient was the medical diagnosis? Do you think it was timely?

The efficiency was partial, unfortunately. I have prepaid medical insurance in Argentina, and fortunately, after the initial diagnosis, I came to my country, where I have been for five years post-diagnosis with all the surgeries and treatments I underwent. Unfortunately, the disease struck me in Colombia, where I had very expensive private studies done, excessively expensive, until I exhausted my savings. The first trucut biopsy diagnosis indicated cancer, and the second one showed a type of cancer that was later checked four times in Argentina. Unfortunately, the diagnosis from the Colombian doctors was incorrect. In Argentina, the same samples were sent for biopsy, and the result was different. When two tumors were removed in the first surgery, the result was different from the Colombian one and matched the first Argentine diagnosis. It was three to one, and when I saw the oncologist, we sent the studies to another pathologist, and it became four to one. So the diagnosis was timely because I acted promptly. I went to the doctor quickly once I felt the anomaly, but the Colombian biopsy was not accurate. Timeliness is defined by one's actions, by how quickly one acts. As soon as I felt the lump, I went to the doctor and requested the studies. Initially, they didn’t want to do them because I had a favorable diagnosis from March, and this happened in April. I acted promptly, and the timely diagnoses were given in my country.

Did you have to see multiple specialists to get the correct diagnosis?

To get the correct diagnosis, I had to travel to Argentina without knowing what was happening, where I have my home, where my family is. The type of cancer was misdiagnosed in Colombia. I received the first cancer diagnosis fifteen days after feeling the lump, but the correct diagnosis was given in my country, fortunately in time because I am alive and telling the story.

How did you handle the moment when you received the medical diagnosis?

You handle it as best as you can, without drama. I quickly took care of getting all the tests to determine if it was just cancer or if there was something else in the body, like metastasis. I had a partner at that time, so that was an important support. Then in Argentina, the support of my family was fundamental, and I must say that I acted proactively. I researched the disease, alternative treatments, returned to Reiki, changed my diet, and took proactive actions, understanding that this would teach me many things. Being proactive and positive is extremely important.

What aspects do you consider were fundamental in your recovery process?

It is a difficult disease that not only requires the support of the best specialists in their field. You also need to seek professional help. Throughout the treatment process, I was accompanied by a psychologist who cleared fears and doubts about the treatment because I felt like I was being killed. The psychological help of a professional is essential, as well as other therapies like Reflexology, Reiki, Ho'oponopono, and dietary changes. The process with cancer is very tough, very long, painful, it challenges you, leaves you without work, without hair, without breasts, eventually without a partner, without savings, trying to live physically, really, in the best way possible. You go through many stages, and that's what professionals are for, to accompany the patient through these processes. You have to turn to them; it's the best advice I can give.

What advice would you give to women to get a timely diagnosis?

Act quickly. Feel the lump, run to the doctor, and demand that the doctor performs the necessary checks. Travel to Argentina, put myself in the hands of efficient and suitable professionals like those we have in Argentina. Third, taking this process as an opportunity for changes in every sense, changing diet, habits, cleansing relationships, doing biodecoding, seeing a psychologist, seeking alternative medicine, everything I did alternatively was fundamental. Sharing my testimony helped me a lot; there was positive and negative feedback. The positive feedback helped me express myself, give my testimony, and share this experience in the best way. I felt useful giving advice on prevention, diet, and alternative processes. Taking the illness as a teacher was important, accepting it, not fighting it, understanding it.

Let's talk about the emotional and mental part of the process…

Managing the mind and emotions is crucial. My strength helped me; I am a physically strong woman with a high pain threshold that increased during the therapy process. This helped me endure the process much more. Having a partner helped me a lot, and losing them made the process very hard, even though part of the treatment was already over by then. It was terrible to be left alone, but I asked for help in time, leaned on my family and close friends. Being physically and psychologically strong also helped me a lot.

What advice can you give to people who fall into a defeatist mindset when facing illnesses?

Do not victimize yourself, understand this as an agent of change, and instead of asking "why me?" ask "what for?" That helped me immensely. I strengthened my faith and having full confidence in the Argentine medical team is key, because this is a journey that continues, the check-ups don't end, and this is something I don't know how long it will last. It is important to note that ignorance kills us in these processes. Breast cancer is not exclusive to women; men can get it too. Annual check-ups, self-examinations, reviewing your diet, habits, relationships, and working on the strength of the mind, soul, and spirit are essential in case something goes wrong. Act in time, never procrastinate, work on mental and physical health. Health is built with habits. It's not advice; it's sharing the experience. I share what worked for me, not necessarily what will work for everyone, and have a lot of patience. Express what you feel, don't keep anything inside, know how to set limits, know what to read, what to watch, what advice to take. Do therapies to heal the primitive emotions, the deepest emotions we have, to cleanse the soul, because the body always manifests that in some way.

Tell us about the doctors who treated you in Argentina…

I was treated by Dr. Gonzalo Recondo, an Argentine oncologist, and my gynecologist is Adriana Bermúdez, also Argentine.________________________________________

Jacobo Celnik.