 Aloha, and mabuhay. Welcome to another edition of Pinoy Power Hawaii here on Think Tech Hawaii. We will come to your home every Tuesday live at 12 noon. We want to thank you for joining us for another empowerment. Our mission is to enrich, enlighten, educate, entertain, and we hope to empower. I'm your host, Emmy Ortega Anderson, and it is a pleasure for you to join us today. Our guest for another second chances and awakening moment is the Vice President of Senior Banking Director of Central Pacific Bank, and I present to you a fellow UFCH queen, Joy Agni. Welcome to the show. Thank you at the Emmy. Thank you so much. It's an honor to be here and to share my experience as a seven-year breast cancer survivor. Thank you. Before we go into that, I would like to share just a little bit of personal background. I know you came here when you were very young, so tell us about how and when did you immigrate to this land of milk and honey? My mom passed away when I was just 14 months old. I have an older brother, which is 18 months older. Growing up, it was hard for our father. Seven years later, he took the opportunity to marry a citizen, a Filipino citizen. That's how he came to the United States. So when I was 13, that's when my brother was 15, that's when we came to the United States. Just us. I mean, there's me and my brother, nobody else, no relatives. They just flew us out in a plane. So describe what was that experience? There was no relatives. It was just that. Yeah. When we got here, it was a new beginning. Were you afraid, felt like you're out of place? I wanted to go back. Take the plane back too. I wanted to go back because I was sheltered by my grandma. But eventually, a year later, I went to Doe Intermediate, and then I went on to Farrington High School. That's where you see a tita in me. Survival. Yeah. So I graduated 1987, and then thereafter, I was very fortunate to work for, be hired at Central Pacific Bank two years later. And I've been with Central Pacific Bank for, this is my 31 years. And you're only 22, right? That is awesome. That's so wonderful. So when I was in high school, my dad got divorced and then married after. So I do have two other brothers, two other siblings on my stepmom side. But the journey to be where I am today, I don't regret anything. It made me the person that I am today. So you experienced right away the trials and tribulations of life at an early age? Yes. Being that I didn't have no mother figure, I pretty much had to struggle. That's probably why I am what I am today with my kids being so protective of them. You're trying to make up for lost time, right? Yeah. I have three children on my own. My eldest now is now 28, and then 26, and then 18 years old. You've been busy. Yeah. My both of my kids, my kids are in Washington, D.C. My daughter, this is her second year as a dental student. And my son, my 18-year-old, is pretty much following the footsteps on the sister. And then my middle son is now almost done with his journeyman contract. Hopefully. Wow. Sounds like they're on the right track so they can be independent. Yes. Yes. So, you know, with being busy, what not, life is good. I mean life at this moment is good. I mean with being working for Central Pacific Bank, it allowed me to be able to pretty much with the children. It gives you that flexibility. Yes. Yes. That's the reason why I stayed where I'm at because I wanted to make sure that while the children are growing up, I'm there. I'm there to do their homework in the evening. I needed to have that consistent role model to them. My husband on the other side, I've been blessed to be married to a wonderful man. For how long? We've been married for, this would be 30 years. 30 years. 30 years. That's a record. Yes. Considering. High school, sweetheart. Wonderful. So everything was going well, right? And your three children, you have a wonderful supportive husband, your career is well on path, and this is why you've only had that one job, right? Yes. Yes. In November of 2011, I was working at Pearl Highlands as a branch manager. And before going to work that day, I took a shower and I found something, there was something funny. There was a lump in there. So I didn't go to work. So my husband said, okay, you know, we better go to the doctor. And sure enough, we did mammogram ultrasound and two days later, we had the biopsy and at the office, I was by myself and the doctor called. And sure enough, it was... So they confirmed it. My best friend, Roberta Ribera, had to come and get me and had to take me home because it was a denial. There was no one in the family that had breast cancer. So why me? You know, it took me a while. It took me a while, but 10 days later, because I just want to, I just want to get it done. You know, 10 days later, I was in the operating room and they did a lumpectomy. Lumpectomy, they just removed the tumor, not mastectomy. So I went through a six-week cycle of chemotherapy. So six weeks of that, and then I did seven weeks of radiation after. Take us back again, because I know it was very devastating for you to get the diagnosis and you said denial. First, you didn't accept. Yes. What was going through your mind exactly? For the benefit of those that might be suffering right now? I was depressed. I was depressed. And I have to be honest, it's about a year that took me. Yeah. You asked a lot of why. Why? Yeah, why me? Those were the, every day I asked the question, why? I'm healthy. You're healthy, right? I'm healthy. I do all the right things. But my fate, my family, and my children, those are the three that kept me going. Mm-hmm. My fate and the Lord has really, really impacted on my recovery. So stayed. Yes, on my recovery. So throughout the process, I am blessed with an employer as well, Central Pacific Bank, that allowed me to work at the same time. They allowed me, so while going through chemotherapy. And they understood. Yes. Right? I had my bosses practically come and get me for meetings because I told them, you know, I don't want to feel sorry. I don't want, I don't want, I don't want to feel pity for me. At that time too, you know, there was an opening as a branch manager for Waipahu Branch. And I wanted that job so bad, because I always say I will come back to Waipahu Branch. Because to me, Waipahu, you know, I could do my dialect at the same time. Right, right. I could, there's, demographic wise, there's a lot of Pilipinos out there, so I could share what I know with them. So, okay, so being that you're comfortable in our dialect, and we are here to empower others, how did you survive? How did I survive? Um, pretty much being, um, you know, uh, you have to have a lot of, um, they, uh, family, um, don't, don't be afraid to ask for help, because they're there to help you. Um, they don't know what to, to, to, to do. Um, but as long as they're there, uh, yeah, but, um, but for me, the, the, the family support was very important on my recovery. Yeah. How about the children? Uh, how did they recover? Um, my daughter was the one that was affected the most. Um, because she could relate. Yeah. Yeah. So, she couldn't, um, and possibly the fear, joy? Yeah. That, uh, it's in your genes. Yeah. Mom, do I have to go through this? Yeah. So, um, I, I attended the, um, they have a breast cancer survival at the Polymomy. So, um, so that, that sharing my experience and then going back home just trying to explain to my daughter as well. And along with the American Cancer Society, um, there were the one that actually, again, helped me as well. Um, the same thing when, you know, um, as a, as a Mrs. Hawaii Pilipina, you know, your beauty, you know, you got to be confident. And then, so, so how long after, uh, it's about a year when you ran for Mrs. Hawaii Pilipina? This was in 2011, right? I was, um, I was six months, I was crowned six months as a Mrs. Hawaii Pilipina. And then November of that year, that's when I found out. So, oh, so you were, you were the crown? Yes. Yes. At the same time. But, uh, I told, I told myself, I am not, I am not going to let the disease rule me. That was my thing. I, I, I refuse. You had a strong conviction. Yes. Yes. Yes. And I need, I need to make an example for my children that mom is strong. I can do this and so you guys can. So, um, also, again, like I said, the American Cancer Society was also a big, big backup for me. So they called, they came, um, I went to their facility and, you know, they, they put on, um, they give you wigs. Okay. Yeah. They give you wigs to help you get through. You can get through. Yeah. Okay. Hold that thought for a moment. We're going to take a quick break. We are having a conversation with Joy Agni, a fellow United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Mrs. Hawaii Pilipina for 2011. And she's sharing with us her personal journey, her story of survival and how she, uh, uh, got through it, uh, being a breast cancer survivor. We will be right back here on Pinoy Power Hawaii. Hey, Loha, my name is Andrew Lanning. I'm the host of Security Matters Hawaii airing every Wednesday here on Think Tech Hawaii, live from the studios. I'll bring you guests. I'll bring you information about the things in security that matter to keeping you safe, your co-workers safe, your family safe, to keep our community safe. Uh, we want to teach you about those things in our industry that, you know, may be a little outside of your experience. So please join me because security matters. Aloha. Aloha. My name is Mark Shklav. I am the host of Think Tech Hawaii's Law Across the Sea. Law Across the Sea is on Think Tech Hawaii every other Monday at 11 a.m. Please join me where my guests talk about law topics and ideas and music and Hawaii Ana all across the sea from Hawaii and back again. Aloha. Welcome back to Pinoy Power Hawaii. We are having a conversation today. It's our series of empowerment, awakening, and second chances. And our guest for today is a fellow Mrs. Hawaii Filipina for 2011, the beautiful Joy Agni. So thank you for walking us through your emotions, your journey, your strength, your survival, and how, how did you cope with that devastating news? I didn't realize that you were already wearing your crown. You were in the middle of completing your reign as Mrs. Hawaii Filipina when you got that news. And it made it even more trying to be able to, it's just like crying or hurting on the inside. And yet you have to put out your best foot forward because you wear a crown. Everybody looks up to you. Right. So continue and tell us more of your journey. So I was six months as a Mrs. Hawaii Filipina and I, I had to make a choice and either give up my crown. Because you couldn't fulfill your duties as a queen. Right. And then at the same time, going through the cancer, but I did not allow the cancer to rule me. I told myself that you can do this. And with family support, my husband would take me to chemo. And those were the difficult times because you go through six, every three weeks, you would go treatment and sometimes everybody work. Everybody works. So sometimes you don't have no, no one at the house to help you. So I, I can laugh at it now, but my husband would leave me in the morning. So first day I would get my chemo Friday. It's, I'm still okay. It's Sunday that I would, the chemo would kick in. Right. So throughout describe to us what you feel when your whole body just, I know I cannot, I cannot have to describe. Yeah. Hard to describe. I mean, you just, the way I could describe it is how my husband left me that morning. I'm, I'm exactly like that when he comes home two in the afternoon. So you feel worthless? Yes, nothing, nothing. There's nothing that you can do. I mean, I mean, because your body is weak or you're experiencing all these changes and discomfort. Yes. Yeah. So they take us to the home, right? And that really doesn't help to boost your, your ego when they say, right? Right. Right. Yeah. So a lot of thoughts, a lot of thoughts, a lot of thoughts, a lot of thoughts. Whether is it worth it? Yeah. That comes through my mind. That came through my mind. Is it worth it? I would walk, I would walk through the street of Waipahu just and, you know, while walking, you know, tears come flooding. Yeah. Yeah. But it was my children. It was my children that kept me going. And developing a deeper faith in God, belief. I'm crying with you, Joy, because in 2004, I was also diagnosed with a brain tumor. And I too felt like it was a death, death sentence. And I asked those questions. Why me? My kids are too young to not have a mother. And I'm at the peak of my career. What did I do, Lord, to deserve such a life sentence? Yeah. So I can totally relate brain tumor, breast cancer. These are major organs that we cannot do without. So I feel you. Yeah. The only thing that I can say at this point now is I can talk about it because I'm okay now. But during the first year, second year, it was very difficult. It was very difficult to talk about it. But, you know, with people coming in at the branch, and they must have been wondering. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Because I had my, you know, I sometimes I would just put a scarf or go to the branch. But as again, with, because of my title as a branch manager, I mean, you, you, you have to, you have to lead, you have to lead the branch. So there's that barrier when the front is okay, but the inside. Yeah. It's difficult. So it did, uh, recovery. Every day. Because I had conversations with God every day. Every day. Because Waipahu branch is by Pacific supermarket. Waipahu, the church St. Joseph, St. Joseph, St. Joseph. So every day going home, there's a small chapel at St. Joseph. So I would park my car on the side of the road and go to the chapel. For your heart out. Yeah. Every day. That's every day. Okay. Ah, the same question I ask is why me, why me, why me? And, uh, did you finally, uh, come into peace? Yeah. Tell us about. I have, I, I, I now, I believe I have a purpose. Uh-huh. This is the awakening moment portion. I believe I have a purpose. Uh-huh. Coming to you, um, I believe that I have a platform now to tell women my experience that is going through the same journey, journey now. And there's hope. There's hope. And there's modern technology nowadays. Uh-huh. So it's really, really important that we find strength from within to want to live because there were days when I didn't want to. You know, it was easier to take the, the way out. Yeah. To give up and just not fight. And at any given time, I felt joy that I could go anytime. If I allowed myself to just let it go, not fight, uh, I, I, I would have been dead a long time ago. Yeah. There's still that anxiety, you know, um, when you go through, uh, so I do annual, um, testing now, city scan, you know, mammogram. Uh-huh. So whenever you go to that motion. Yes. I get all these anxiety, um, that goes through your head. Right. Because it takes you back. Yeah. Because in the back of your head, just like, okay, you have that fear that it's coming back. Uh-huh. But when that happens, and I try as much as I can, when that negative mindset comes in, your thought comes in, I just, I just leave the house and walk. Um, exercise has been, um, um, truly an amazing, um, because that's how I'm able to stress out, de-stress out, I call it. Um, the same thing with what you eat. Just being able to take care of yourself. Right. Yeah. At the same time, but, um, but the, uh, the negative, you just gotta, uh, it's there. Yeah. It's just, uh, finding a way to deal with it. Right. Right. Right. So if you could learn anything or if you could reiterate, uh, the most necessary thing that one would do to cope or to be able to overcome that obstacle, what would that be? I know we've not mentioned that, but, um, so for me, my recovery is exercise. Uh-huh. I, I would exercise, um, your diet, um, your, again, your faith in the Lord, family support, family support. All important ingredients. Don't, don't be afraid to ask for him. How happy are you about being given the, the second chance because so a lot of us are not given that second chance? I am in my life wherein I am at peace. Um, I'm looking forward for my daughter graduating. So those are the, uh, kind of what I look, uh, what I look for now and just be able to enjoy life. Um, I mean, do, uh, do what you like to do. I mean, um, I go hiking. I see you out there. Yeah. I go hiking, just be with friends. I mean, I, I pick and choose now trying to balance my life. I mean, um, there's a lot of organization, but at the same token, you've got to balance family. Right. Work. So it puts you, uh, in a mode of prioritizing. Yes. Yeah. And not having to, uh, do everything. Well, great, great thought. And I thank you for, uh, sharing, um, your transparency, your, your honesty and, uh, uh, your determination. Uh, those are wonderful, uh, power that you have, your resilience that, uh, not given, giving up attitude coupled with, uh, faith in the Lord and, uh, uh, discovering that you do have, uh, you do have a task. You have a purpose in life that you need to, uh, complete and, uh, continue the empowerment. Thank you, Attila. Thank you so much for having me. Same here. We love you for sharing from the heart. We want to thank you once again for joining us here on, uh, Pinoy Power Hawaii for another empowering segment of, uh, second chances and, uh, uh, given, being given an opportunity to, uh, make a difference. Uh, my name is Emmy Ortega Anderson, your host every Tuesday, 12 noon. We come to you and share with you, empowering stories as the one that Joe Ogney had just shared with us. Uh, we aim to enrich, enlighten, educate, entertain, and we hope to empower. We say, Maraming Salamat Poo, Mabuhay.