Cancer survivor completes nursing degree

Three years ago, when THE STAR spoke with Renee McKintosh, she was putting up a fierce battle against stage-three ovarian cancer.

Despite the turmoil, McKintosh, who was 25 at the time, was a nursing student at Northern Caribbean University (NCU). She said she was not going to allow the dreadful disease to steal her joy as she pursued her degree.

Fast-forward to yesterday, when McKintosh beamed with pride as she graduated from NCU as a registered nurse. Taking a small break from the service to speak with the news team, the 28-year-old said she is overwhelmed and thankful.

"It was a rough journey, no lie, but I said to God that if this is what He wants me to do, then I trust that He will work things out for me. I can't say that I believe in God, then worry about what is going to happen. So I just prayed and left everything in His hands. Exams were hard and very nervewracking, and I cried a few times. But I kept praying, and everything just worked out in my favour," she said.

McKintosh, who hails from New Bowens in Clarendon, said that in 2012, she removed a non-cancerous cyst from her ovaries and maintained good health until late 2018. A pelvic examinatio showed that she had a huge mass on her ovaries that had spread to her stomach. Tests at the time revealed that she had stage-two ovarian cancer. Even though she underwent three rigorous cycles of chemotherapy, the cancer advanced to stage-three.

The disease remains in remission, and McKintosh said she is super grateful and looks forward to officially working in the medical field. She encourages other persons who are facing similar battles not to throw in the towel, but to cast their burdens and faith in the Almighty.

"I have no complaints. The blood tests and CT scans are all good, and I used to go to two clinics at UHWI [University Hospital of the West Indies] and I got discharged from the oncology clinic and I didn't even finish chemo. My family friend came to pray for me and got confirmation that God said it is already done, and there and then I said that I am not doing any more. I am in remission now as I had done some chemo and surgery, which all worked," she said.