How Breast cancer Changed the Way I Do Cleaning

Most people don't think about cleaning when they think of breast cancer, but I do! The day I received my diagnosis, my world immediately shifted. I never could have predicted the journey that God would guide me through, but it would eventually lead to me finding my mission as a member of the community and as a business owner.

My husband is a professor at KSU, and is closely connected to science! He was the first person to encourage me to take my health journey into my own hands and to start digging deeper. You see, I had no family history of breast cancer! So, I was stuck asking myself "Why, and how?". I was baffled when in my research, I discovered that 80% of breast cancers are related directly to environmental influences.

The largest risk factor for all of us who could develop any kind of cancer, and especially breast cancer, is what your environmental influences may be. I found countless studies that related cancers to chemicals that we are exposed to daily, and to my surprise, that included household cleaning products! Having been the owner of a cleaning business since 1996, working directly with said cleaning products, I knew there was a connection there. It was time to kiss those nasty products goodbye!

It is now my mission to set a new standard for my business by preventing these horrible chemicals from affecting my client’s, me, and my staff. I quickly implemented a non-toxic, green cleaning system which does not include obvious harmful chemicals like bleach, ammonia, phthalates, or fragrances that are not naturally derived. The first and easiest form of prevention is making a decision to cut these pollutants out completely. We are “Tickled Pink to Clean Green”!

After going through my breast cancer journey I heard about a non-profit organization called Cleaning for a Reason and immediately knew I needed to give back to our community to help families going through cancer treatment time to focus on their healing, not cleaning. It was also not long before my breast cancer diagnosis that my little nephew was diagnosed with brain cancer. This brave little warrior fought for 2 years from the age of six, and passed away at the age of 8 years old. He is my hero and the reason why I fight to help other families who have little loved ones that they are also fighting for.  Since partnering with Cleaning for a Reason in 2017, we have been able to provide support for over 50 cancer patients, with a donated value of $12,000+ in cleanings.

At Maid in America, it is our honor to serve our community and our families.