Evelyn Reyes says she remembers distinctly. She was on vacation in her native Dominican Republic and she had a drink with coconut milk. Shortly after, she had stomach pains. She blamed it on the coconut drink. No le puso mente. When she got back home, again she had stomach pains. She figured it was something she ate and no le puso mente. Her boyfriend told her – Evelyn, ur losing weight. No le puso mente. She was the perfect weight.

One day Evelyn Reyes woke up early in the morning with pains. She called her job and she said she was sick and could not make it to work. She figured she’ll rest at home and – no le puso mente. Then the next day she gets up again and the pain was so bad that she had no choice – ¡le puso mente!  She went to the doctor and they examined her and said- you have an obstruction.  We have to operate.  When she came to after the operation, the doctor coldly comes to her bedside and says, “Ms. Reyes, we removed the obstruction and you have Adenocarcinomas Stage 3C.”

In her hospital bed, recovering from surgery, Evelyn, otherwise know as “La Eve!” is still her spunky self and tells the doctor, “Doc, what are u saying? Are you saying I have cancer???” The Doctor glances up from his half-rimmed glasses and looks at her, “Yes.” “Why didn’t you just say so!”

To some ‘You have cancer’ are the scariest word in the English language. To La Eve, it was a "call to arms".  She continually repeats to anyone and everyone that, “This is not going to keep me down.” La Eve! continued and continues to work full time as an Administrative Assistant in a hospital. She is also the coordinator for the organization Las Comadres for the Boston Area. She also co-hosts a popular TV show called Boston Latino. She also models. And, on top of all that, last summer La Eve! was chosen by Boston Magazine as one of Boston’s Most Wanted Singles. “Nothing could stop me. I wasn’t going to let this stop me. I went out dancing.  I went to the beach. I was sexually active. Yeah, I led a normal life. Life is too short!”

But surely there must be something different about her life now.  “Yes. When people see me and say ‘How are you?’,  they REALLY mean it.  I appreciate it but sometimes it’s like –‘How are you?’  ‘Oh I’m fine.’  ‘NO really, how ARE you?’ ‘Really I’m fine!’ If someone were to ask you then you would say ‘Fine’ and that’s it. But not for me. Also something different now for me is that I feel like I have to disclose.  I have to disclose to people especially the men that I meet.  I feel it is my duty to disclose this to them. I say ‘Dude, I have cancer’.  Up front I want them to know what they are up against.  I don’t want to be with someone one day and the next day be up in a hospital and then have to explain. I need someone that could handle it."

”I get what she’s saying. She is living with this thing and she is enjoying life to the fullest. But somehow it still bothered me. It stung my heart. Canela Caramelo? Cancer???

I said to her, “But how …. Um….. u know…. I don’t understand… how, this happens. How did this happen to you?” A momentary lapse of common sense made me ask.

But La Eve! is sharp and quick and doesn’t mince words. “What are you asking me?  What CAUSES cancer?!” Silly me.

“Well…. was there a way to prevent it. Maybe some sort of screening process.” “Actually I would have been too young for the screening. Everyone in the hospital says that I am the youngest person they have seen with colon cancer.” “Even if you would have asked for a screening or they would not have listened to you anyway.  I’m sure.”  “True. But women have to take more control of their health and demand the proper tests from the doctors. I always have a list of questions written down and I make sure all my questions are answered. I want to be fully informed. I have my surgeon’s phone number b/c if I think of a question I want to be able to call him up and ask. That’s how it should be.”

La Eve! is a total Diva. We can all learn something from her. But there seems to be so much to come away with, her positive outlook, her boldness, her strength, her honesty, her gusto for life. I ask her, “What would you like to tell women out there?  What is your message to all women who may be reading this?”

Without hesitation, she says, “I want women to listen to their bodies. L I S T E N. Don’t ignore signs and symptoms - like I did. Maybe as soon as I was losing weight, maybe it would have been a smaller tumor or less advanced. Women need to take charge of their health and take charge of their bodies. Take charge of their LIFE!  Look, I went back to the doctor in August and he said, “We need to operate again.”  I said, “Fine but WHEN because I have plans.”  “Now.”  “No Doctor for real, I have plans. Can this wait?”  “I’m sorry.  It can not wait.  We have to operate now.”

So I was operated. Three weeks later – I went on as planned…. I went to the Shakira concert ----- in a wheelchair! No le puse mente that I had to use a wheelchair because I was 3 weeks out of surgery.  I went to see Shakira! She was awesome!!!”

No, La Eve!- YOU’RE awesome!!!