Juan Pablo Sebastián

While battling breast cancer—bedridden and undergoing chemotherapy—Yolanda “Yoly” Ávila Chacón found strength and motivation in her studies, completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing through the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Breast cancer runs in Yoly’s family; her maternal aunt lost her life to the disease. Yoly was diagnosed in 2020 and began chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 2021. She continues taking Letrozole, a medication she must use until July 2026.

Doctors consider a breast cancer patient fully clear of the disease only after ten years without recurrence, as metastasis can develop over time. For Yoly, the fight is ongoing. She remains active throughout her treatment, exercising regularly at the Rosarito Aquatic Center and doing strength training to preserve her muscle mass.

Receiving the diagnosis, she recalls, was terrifying.

“It was stressful and distressing not knowing whether the cancer had spread elsewhere,” she said.

Her mammogram results were classified as category 5, the most severe level.

Yoly was 47 when she noticed a small lump in her right breast.

“One morning I looked in the mirror and saw it,” she remembers. “To be sure, I had a breast ultrasound, and on November 29 the radiologist told me I was in stage 5 and needed immediate surgery.”

The diagnosis changed her life drastically. Chemotherapy affected her nervous system, leaving her unable to walk for more than a year.

“I was bedridden, too weak even to lift a spoon,” she shared.

But Yoly refused to let cancer stop her dreams. With the support of her son and partner, she decided to continue studying.

“I had already worked 22 years as a general nurse and 8 as a surgical nurse,” she explained. “When I was diagnosed, I was finishing a specialization in Nursing Management and Education and had already been accepted into UNAM’s degree program. My professors encouraged me to keep going—they told me to dictate my assignments to my computer when I was too weak to type. Staying mentally active gave me purpose and helped me not to dwell on my illness.”

Despite facing discouraging comments from some people—questioning why she would keep studying if she might not return to work—Yoly found strength in the support of her teachers and classmates.

“My professors at UNAM motivated me every step of the way,” she said.

Her classes were online, with some sessions held over Zoom. The program took two years, followed by a year of English exams and another year before she could take her professional licensing exam due to health setbacks.

Her favorite courses, she says, were those focused on caring for patients with chronic illnesses.

Today, Yoly celebrates not only a new chapter in life but also a remarkable professional achievement—an inspiring story of resilience, courage, and the power of education in the face of adversity.