FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Sixteen years after receiving a stage three breast cancer diagnosis with a five-year life expectancy, Yvonne Dunkley has not only surpassed medical predictions but has fundamentally transformed her relationship with the disease. As founder of Feed the Fight Breast Cancer Foundation, she now views her cancer journey as divinely purposeful rather than merely tragic.
Addressing attendees at the first anniversary celebration of the Trelawny Cancer Support Group, Dunkley reframed her identity: “I am not a survivor. I am a striver. I am going to live every day as if I’m dying tomorrow.” Her foundation, established in 2013, now operates support networks across the United States, Africa, Thailand, and the Caribbean with particular focus on her native Jamaica.
Dunkley spoke with raw honesty about the psychological impact of her double mastectomy, describing the moment she removed her bandages as mentally devastating. “As women, we see our identity through our breasts. Mentally, I wasn’t ready,” she confessed. Yet she balanced this vulnerability with humorous anecdotes, including prosthetic breasts slipping from her blouse in a crowded airport.
Her advocacy extends beyond emotional support. The foundation recently purchased 20 chemotherapy needles for patients unable to afford them, highlighting systemic healthcare gaps. Dunkley emphasized preventive care for all genders: “Check your breasts. Do your annual check-ups. Men, go and do your PSA. Don’t wait until there’s a problem.”
Medical professionals praised Dunkley’s transformative impact. Dr. Marcia Johnson Campbell, regional non-communicable disease coordinator for WRHA, described her as “a mover and a shaker” driven by profound purpose. Dr. Latrecia Blake from the Trelawny Health Department noted that since 2023, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health has actively promoted cancer support groups to address the comprehensive needs of patients beyond medical treatment alone.
Through her foundation’s work at institutions like Cornwall Regional Hospital, where they’ve provided support for four years, Dunkley embodies what she calls “living with gratitude”—finding purpose in pain and transforming personal struggle into collective strength.