#BraveLikeTeretha
Name: Teretha Johnson
Age: 51
Diagnosis: Cholangiocarcinoma / Gallbladder Cancer
Years of Survivorship: 1 year since diagnosis in Oct 2021
Location: Garland, TX
Follow Teretha on Instagram.
“However long I have—if I have 6 months, then guess what—I’m going to live and express myself and bring that joy and happiness in every single moment I possibly can, because I’m living. ”
Teretha Johnson went into the emergency room last fall by the urging of family members due to her eyes yellowing and her uncomfortable bouts of itchiness. That night, after many tests, the doctor walked into the room and said, “Ms. Johnson, it looks like cancer.” The biopsy concluded the results: gallbladder cancer. Teretha remembers the discouraging words from the doctor, “This is really, really rare and there’s hardly any research.”
Cholangiocarcinoma impacts fewer than 6 in every 100,000 people worldwide each year. Like many others who are faced with a rare cancer diagnosis, Teretha received only two options from her doctor: a biliary tube for the rest of her life or hospice. She remembers the shock of the diagnosis. “I didn’t even know how to physically respond to that. I just took another deep breath. I knew I had to deal with what’s being told to me. I didn’t want to be in denial about it. Because that’s a hard thing to hear. To not know if you’re going to be here next year.”
Teretha got a biliary tube placed and began an aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Despite some complications due to the biliary tube leaking and releasing toxins into her body, she has continued treatment throughout the past year.
Prior to her diagnosis, Teretha was a professional face painter and had been working children’s events for 11 years. Starting in 2012 after her father died, face painting has been her saving grace. It's been the greatest relief and release for her. Nothing could have prepared her for a rare cancer diagnosis, but she knows that art is necessary for her wellbeing. By her third chemo session, she decided to paint again to keep herself in good spirits.
“Art is keeping me alive. It’s always been a part of me. Art has been a way for me to express myself. Expressing yourself is one of the most powerful things you have. It’s a super power, if you will.”
Teretha holds a celebratory certificate for her last day of radiation was on Oct 19th, 2022
“In color theory, green represents life. To me, art is life and it’s helping me live.””
Now for every doctor’s appointment or treatment session, Teretha is rightfully known as the “Green Lady.” Her face and head paint contains all shades of green. She dresses in green clothing and even intentionally chooses green nail polish. These decisions are based on color theory. She researched the color green—initially because it is the color ribbon for gallbladder cancer. Not only is green symbolic of life, but it is thought to calm anxiety and represent healing. Teretha is not the only one to look into color theory. Color psychology researchers have found that colors evoke psychological reactions, affecting moods and emotions. With each green paint stroke, Teretha is encouraged. She is focused on keeping her head right, keeping her head clear. Painting and creativity help her with this.
When she walks into treatment with her head painted, everybody–from the nurses to the doctors–comments on it. The level of excitement, pure joy and happiness in others confirmed that she was to keep painting. To have that type of effect on people is priceless to her. Teretha is taking a hiatus from her professional face painting services, but in the future, you can visit her website for more information.
“I am going to smile all the way through it. I am going to cry when I need to, be mad when I need to. I am going to feel every emotion. I am going to be everything I want to be. If I’m going to be the oddball standing out, who cares. It’s Teretha, that’s me. Art is keeping me alive.”
How has running or staying physically active affected your cancer journey?
“It’s a huge challenge to walk, let alone to stay physically active due to the very high levels of fatigue that I deal with from being on a very strong chemotherapy cocktail (Cisplatin, Abraxane and Gemcitabine) over the past year. Even going up the stairs—just 8 steps—it felt like I'd run a marathon. It’s been a lot.”
What advice do you have for people on staying fit throughout their cancer treatment or recovery?
“My advice is, do not beat yourself up about not being able to do what you used to be able to do, because your body just isn’t the same. However, transition with your body and do what you can as far you can, as much as you can, and when you can. Most importantly, cheer yourself on for what you are still able to do. Stay active mentally and the body will follow physically.”
What is one of your proudest accomplishments since being diagnosed with cancer?
“Choosing to walk and push a cart in a store instead of sitting and riding in a motor cart. That’s a pretty big accomplishment for me because of the immense fatigue I’ve experienced.”
How has Gabe's story impacted you or changed the way you view life as a cancer patient/survivor?
“It is ALWAYS encouraging to see and read the stories of others who are going through the same journey as I am. Of course, no two stories are exactly the same. That is what’s most fascinating. Seeing what encourages, what helps, and what gets an individual through a very difficult experience is certainly important. It’s easy to lose focus when everything in your life is changing. But when you see that others are handling it in ways that work for them—no matter how different—it definitely gives you the confidence and courage to step outside the box and do whatever it takes to get you through…with a smile.”
What does being #BraveLiketeretha mean to you?
“It simply means knowing that I am not alone in this experience. When I see someone else’s bravery, I’m pushed to be brave enough to get through this and to help someone else be brave enough, too.”
What are you most looking forward to in the near future?
“I’m most looking forward to living even more bravely. Really ready to get back to face painting at birthdays and family reunions and company picnics and all kinds of events. Bringing smiles is what I do. And I have to be brave enough to get through this experience so I can do it bigger and braver than ever.”