Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Molly Crawford | 210805-N-MH811-1039 PEARL HARBOR (August 5, 2021) -- Chief Warrant Officer Vanderla...... read more read more
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“I always wanted the Navy to be my career, but it was a really trying time because I didn't know whether I was gonna live or die. I didn't know what was gonna happen to me.”
In July of 1991, just after graduating high school in the south side of Chicago, 17-year-old Vanderla Akaka enlisted in the Navy as a Radioman. She was ready to pursue her future.
Over the next 17 years of her career Akaka worked hard and stayed dedicated to learning and achieving, which led to several awards and in 2003, her promotion to chief petty officer. Once that goal was achieved she set her sights higher and pushed herself to get her masters in information technology and her officer of the deck underway qualification, something few chiefs earn. In 2008, she was promoted to warrant officer.
Ready to take on the responsibilities of her new rank, she received orders to amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), unaware of the challenges that lie ahead.
In February 2008, she found a lump during a breast self-exam. Concerned, she went to medical and three days later she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer.
“I immediately started crying,” said Akaka. “My heart dropped and I got a weird feeling in my stomach. It was unbelievable. I don't smoke and I don't drink. What did I do wrong?”
Akaka proceeded to have a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiation and took medication which all bore difficult side effects.
“When I had to shave off my hair the first time, I felt so defeated,” said Akaka. “I've never seen myself without my hair and that's a part of being a woman, that's a part of our femininity. And then I just got one of my breasts pretty much taken out with the lumpectomy. So I was just like, ‘Oh my God, what is going on?’ I never felt whole after that.”
One night while taking a walk, an older woman approached Akaka and changed her outlook on life.
“She asked me, ‘What's the matter?’” Akaka said. “I gave her my story and asked ‘Why did this happen to me?’ The woman replied, ‘Well, baby, why not? You were put here for a reason. Everybody is special in their own way and you got to motivate.’ She said, ‘Why not you? Just wait and see.’”
That exchange stuck with Akaka. It helped open her eyes to see the goals that push her to continue living. Even though she was scared, Akaka knew she had more to live for.
“I really feel like I had to live for other sailors; to see the things that I've gone through and do the best that I can do.”
Even though she was motivated to keep going for her sailors, everyday struggles seemed like too much sometimes.
“I had to give it my all and be 100% when I was at work. But when I got home, I cried,” said Akaka. “Many nights and days, it was just me, my son and my dogs in the house. It was a lot to deal with.”
While Akaka was getting treatment she was put on limited duty status. To avoid being medically separated Akaka had to prove she was still able to do her job.
“I always felt like my job on this Earth wasn’t complete and I love the Navy, so I had to fight for my life and my career,” said Akaka. “I had outstanding leaders who supported me and were there for me every step of the way. During chemotherapy, work was one of the only things that made me feel somewhat normal. This was the beginning of my new normal.”
In 2012, Akaka was hit with another shock - she was given a second, more aggressive diagnosis.
“I was pissed when it came back,” said Akaka with a furrowed brow. “I was doing everything right and I was almost to that five-year mark, where if you make it there they say you'll be okay. I was just so pissed.”
This time she was diagnosed with stage three bravo breast cancer, which means the tumor was bigger and lymph nodes began to be attacked by cancer cells.
She decided to fight cancer head on and be more aggressive in action, starting with a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.
“It hit me hard. I have to look in the mirror and I have two scars right there and no boobs,” said Akaka. “It's like you're a woman and all that's being taken away. You don't have hair and you don’t have breasts, now I really don't even look like a woman. I don't even feel like a woman anymore.”
Doing a more intense treatment proved to be physically harder than what Akaka was anticipating.
“I couldn't go to the bathroom, I couldn't do anything,” said Akaka. “I couldn't even move. I was in so much pain in my bed by myself. I had to call my nurse to come to my house and help me. I felt like I was dying and I was just balled up in a knot on my bed.”
Hiding her physical pain behind a strong face began to take a toll on her mental health. That’s when Akaka realised she couldn’t go through another battle alone.
“I can't do this by myself; I don't want to die like this,” said Akaka. “All the other times before I was just like, ‘Oh, I can do it.’ I thought I could do it because in my first fight I didn’t go see anybody and I got through it.”
Realising she couldn’t continue to fight alone, she found a therapist.
“They asked me why’d I wait so long,” said Akaka. “It was because I thought I could fix it myself. But I couldn't“
Akaka emphasized how receiving help with mental health is equally as important as seeking help for physical ailments.
“At work you put on another face and you just go to work,” Akaka said. “Nobody knows because we are trained to get our game face on, but not everybody can have a game face. Sometimes people are going through stuff. But over time if you allow it to linger and keep going, you're gonna hit a wall. You're gonna need help because everybody needs help. We weren't put on this earth to be by ourselves.”
Akaka continued to work toward a healthier state of mind while her body fought off cancer, she knew she couldn't give up.
“I keep going for those people I lost, those who didn't make it, you know, the people that I can't talk to face-to-face anymore,” Akaka said with a strained voice. “That I can only talk to if I'm visiting their tombstone or praying to God. I keep going because I have breath, I'm living, I'm alive. Those people that are not here; I’ve got to keep going for them.”
Akaka credits part of her success to her command, who inspired her to not only be a better person and Sailor, but to also stay strong-willed during her battles with cancer. She aims to show that no matter what someone is going through in life, they can persevere.
“It was hard, but I fought through it. I felt like if God can get me through this, I can still keep going as long as I have a breath in my body. I want to keep going, I'm not gonna give up; I'm never gonna give up. I don't care what happens”
Akaka has since completed all reconstruction surgeries and is expected to make a full recovery and will no longer need to take medication by 2023.
“I’ve never given up no matter what battles came my way, I remained a lifelong learner, never forgot where I came from and paid my blessings and knowledge on to others, which is the key,” said Akaka. “I am a firm believer that we are only as strong as our weakest link and I refuse to ever have one.”
Despite her hardships over her career, Akaka, who's currently stationed at Special Operations Command Pacific, has received multiple awards recognizing her excellence, achievements, strength, leadership and dedication to self-improvement. On July 28, 2021, Akaka was pinned as a chief warrant officer 5, a rank only held by around 80 Sailors.
“It was the perseverance, hard work and great leaders that helped me get to this rare rank of chief warrant officer 5,” said Akaka “I feel grateful for being here and for everybody who has helped me along the way. I have hard shoes to fill, but I’m ready for it.”
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2021 20:33 |
| Story ID: | 402169 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HI, US |
| Hometown: | CHICAGO, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 2,485 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Will to Persevere: Two-time Breast Cancer Survivor Promotes to CWO5, by PO2 Molly Crawford, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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