Actress Glenda Garcia remains staunchly positive as she recounts her ongoing battle with the Big C.

In an exclusive interview with PEP.ph, the Akin Pa Rin Ang Bukas actress shared that she discovered she has breast cancer during a routine checkup two months ago.

“It was my usual checkup. Every year naman, ganyan ako. Nagulat na lang ako na ganito ang lumabas. Na-detect nga sa result ng biopsy na invasive carcinoma. Kaagad kong tinawagan ang nanay ko at naiyak siya. Tinawagan ko rin ang ibang mga kapatid ko, at lahat sila pumunta sa bahay ko at nagyakapan kaming lahat. 'Yung anak kong si Carlo, nasa school pa siya that time at exam week, kaya pinatapos ko muna lahat ‘yon bago ko sabihin sa kanya (I was shocked when the results came. They detected in the biopsy that I have invasive carcinoma. I immediately called my mother and she cried. I also called some of my siblings, and all of them went to my house, where we were all huddled together, embracing each other. My son, Carlo, was still in school at that time. It was his exam week, so I waited for that to finish before telling him),” she was quoted by PEP.ph as saying.

Glenda, however, assured her family that she won't let cancer get to her.

“Noong magpa-early dinner ako sa family ko, 'dun ko sinabi kay Carlo na 'yung dinner na iyon ay Thanksgiving dinner dahil kailangang magpasalamat tayo sa Diyos dahil na-diagnose kaagad ang sakit ko. Naiyak ang anak ko at di rin makapaniwala, pero I assured him na gagaling ako (I had an early dinner for the entire family, and that's when I told Carlo that it was a Thanksgiving dinner because I wanted to thank the Lord that I was diagnosed early. My son cried because he couldn't believe it, but I assured him that I won't succumb to cancer.).”

In a separate article from PEP.ph, Glenda revealed that she already opted for surgery on October 19, 11 days after her diagnosis. She also had her first round of chemotherapy on November 15. She adds that she opted to have her hair shaved as a result of her chemo sessions.

“After two weeks of chemotherapy, my hair started to fall out, that's why I decided to have it shaved. Nagwi-wig na lang ako ngayon (I just use a wig now),” she said.

Glenda has been a source of inspiration for many by remaining positive all throughout her ordeal. She has been involved in breast cancer advocacy for a long time now, as she has been helping breast cancer patients in East Avenue Medical Center since 2005.

“Cancer should not stop you from doing the things that make you happy—life goes on. Lalo mo dapat ma-appreciate ang buhay, ang bawat umaga (You should be able to appreciate life, every morning.). And if you could make a difference in the life of other people, it would be better.”

(Photo courtesy of Glenda Garcia's Instagram account)