Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1464744
62 ASCP Skin Deep Spring 2022 with essential oils for each user's specific skin condition. Because essential oils are so powerful, each formulation was customized for each client based on age, weight, and any underlying health conditions. I had clients with severe diabetic skin conditions, acne, and eczema who were not healing from medications provided by doctors but would get relief by using Body by Queen products. My own acne began to subside, and I was excited to learn how to make skin care my career. That led to becoming a licensed esthetician—opening my eyes to a whole new view of how nature and science can merge to create a great result. Q. How did you manage school, work, and being a single mom? A. While obtaining my license, I became pregnant. It was an exciting time but also a lot to handle. I left school to finish out my pregnancy. After I had Zion, I returned and graduated with him on my shoulders! After all, I had a new reason to finish and plan for the future. Q. How did your faith help you through your breast cancer diagnosis and treatments? Through losing your home and ending up in a shelter? A. Immediately upon diagnosis, my faith was activated! I never feared death. I knew, even then, that my assignment in life was to raise my son. I had no idea what to expect, as I hadn't known anyone who had gone through it. But I knew without a doubt that God was with us. I prayed to Jesus about everything—what treatments to accept, what medical centers to go to. I trusted that God would heal my body and even in this, bless my life. Following surgery, chemo, and radiation, my oncologist and radiation oncologist failed to read my post-op report, pronouncing me "NED"—no evidence of disease—and sending me home with a medication I would take indefinitely. Fortunately, I had read the post-op report, and I could see clearly that my cancer had changed. I tried to convince the oncologist to read the report. She refused. Her pride caused her to misdiagnose my illness and prescribe a treatment that was not meant for me. After being unable to continue working, I lost my home, and my son and I moved into a home for homeless mothers and children. Yes, it was unbelievably sad, but God was still with us. And the blessing in it all was that I had to see a new oncology team in the town we were in. "I was motivated by the idea that oncology skin care existed and that I was an 'instant expert' on the subject! I felt like I was in the perfect position to help someone, and I didn't want to go through all of this without helping someone the way so many others had helped me along the way." —Regina King