Jill Penna

Finding Strength in Her Own Words

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Jermaine Buie with Perfect Light, LLC

The saying “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have" is more than just words; it's a mentality that underscores an occasion where there are no other options. Jill Penna lived those words.

In 2008, Jill’s life took an extremely unexpected turn when her husband of nearly 10 years blindsided her with his decision to leave her. The abruptness of the divorce announcement left Jill reeling in a disoriented fog. Overnight, Jill became a single mother of two children, aged 4 and 6. She was left with a house that she could no longer afford, forced her to sell her home during the housing recession. Jill lost $75,000.

Keeping her kids top of mind, Jill’s unwavering positive attitude helped her forge ahead to find a smaller, more affordable home in a nearby neighborhood. In the midst of coping with her divorce and the economic loss of her home, Jill was notified by her company of 15 years that she no longer had a job. To say she was devastated would be an understatement.

During this time, Jill’s physical and mental anxiety started to take a toll on her. She was engulfed with emotions and began to experience heart palpitations and sleepless nights. “I felt alone and abandoned,” Jill shared. “I was crying all the time; I lost my appetite and my strength to take on the weight of the stress.”

Soon, Jill found a new job at Roush Industries as a senior engineer. While her salary was significantly lower than her previous job, she was very grateful for the employment.

Two years into her new job, Jill felt a lump in her right breast. Her mammogram showed some inconclusive results, therefore requiring a biopsy. The anxiety and uncertainty left Jill petrified and overwhelmed; she asked herself, “How much more can I take?”

On September 20, 2013, Jill’s doctor informed her that she had stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer. Jill was flooded with worry.

“Nothing can prepare you for that call,” Jill said. “I was in disbelief, shock. I thought, ‘I cannot have cancer; I have small kids. I can’t do this. How am I going to do this?’” Jill felt defeated, confused and scared. “I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do. I did know, however, that I had to do somethng to get this disease and beat it!"

Within two months of hearing her diagnosis, Jill had a double mastectomy, 15 lymph nodes removed and drain tubes attached to her chest.

Her surgery limited the mobility in her right arm, and four weeks into her chemotherapy, she began to lose her hair. Twelve weeks post-surgery — while still going through chemo — Jill had to return to work for fear of losing her job and health insurance. “I had to be very careful to distance myself from my colleagues because of my low immune system,” Jill recalled. “I had to complete 22 weeks of chemo, and I could not risk getting sick.”

Jill wore a wig and showed up for work every day. She would then come home to take care of her children, cook dinner and help them with schoolwork. “It was very exhausting at times,” she said. “But I was raised to never give up, and I wanted to be that example for my kids.”

After her chemo was completed, Jill endured seven weeks of radiation that left her skin red and burned. Once her skin healed, she was able to have reconstructive surgery, but as misfortune would have it, Jill contracted shingles. She moved through the continued discomfort and soon began her road to recovery and a 10-year regimen of oral chemotherapy.

Throughout the entire five years, Jill said she was fortunate to have help and support from friends and family who gave her the strength and courage to move forward, especially when she felt she couldn’t do it herself. “I gained so much perspective on my life, and I really started to dig deep within myself.”

To cope with everything in Jill’s life, she first shifted her mindset and looked inward to find the answers she was seeking. She began to meditate to alleviate panic attacks, which were crippling her with fear. “When a person you loved and trusted turns their back on you, your sense of what’s real in life is lost,” Jill explained. “Then, hearing the words from my doctor that I had cancer was beyond comprehension.”

Learning to mediate rewired Jill’s brain and gave her a renewed belief in herself to become a stronger and better person.

“Attitude and self-talk determine your success,” Jill said. “It’s not the words you say out loud that have the greatest impact on your life — it’s what you tell yourself that has the most power.”

One year after Jill’s surgery, she decided to get her real estate license and join the brokerage team at Moving The Mitten Real Estate Group, averaging nearly $4 million in annual sales. Jill’s children are now 17 and 19, and she continues to work her full-time job as an engineer.

“I really do feel like I’m living my best life,” Jill shared. “Having cancer helped me realize it’s not about comparing yourself to others or wishing you had a different life; it’s about taking what you have and making it your best life ever. Cancer opened my eyes to what’s important.”

In Jill’s head and heart, she has defeated cancer. “I found a strength I never knew I had,” she said. “I know I have an inner warrior within me, and I will continue to live a long and healthy life.”

Jill Penna - Real Inspiration