Lifestyle
Lorena Lacerda: Cancer, Transformation, and the Power of Self-Love
An inspiring journey of triumph and self-discovery that redefines holistic health and purpose.
In this special Breast Cancer Awareness Month episode, Lorena Lacerda, CEO of Grupo Valure and partner at Soul Sync, shares her moving story of overcoming breast cancer. She details how she transformed the disease into an opportunity for deep self-knowledge, redefining her professional and personal life. A powerful conversation about the impact of meditation, spirituality, and the importance of self-care.
On Donas da Voz, host Livia Matos welcomes the inspiring Lorena Lacerda, CEO of Grupo Valure and partner at Soul Sync, for an emotional chat in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Lorena, who is also the author of the book "Live the Awakening for a New Life", shares her journey of overcoming breast cancer, revealing how the disease led her to a profound personal, professional, and spiritual transformation.
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The Diagnosis and Turning Point
Lorena was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42, with no family history, which made the news a shock. Initially, the feeling of finitude was overwhelming, but she quickly found the strength to understand that it was a diagnosis, not a prognosis. Her intuition was crucial: after feeling a lump in her armpit, even with recent exams, she sought further investigation and discovered locally advanced and aggressive cancer, requiring immediate chemotherapy.
Before the diagnosis, Lorena was a workaholic, entirely dedicated to her job, with a packed schedule that didn't allow her to prioritize her own health. Cancer forced her to re-evaluate everything. Her dreams, previously focused heavily on material achievements and career, changed radically. A second diagnosis, of metastasis, was even more challenging but solidified her view that life was calling for a new direction. She understood that she was out of balance, living for others and putting herself last.
The Pillars of Healing: Body, Mind, and Spirit
Lorena did not delegate her treatment; she sought to understand everything about the disease to also understand healing. She discovered a path in integrative medicine, realizing that 90% of cancer cases are related to lifestyle, not genetics. With this, she focused on three pillars:
Nurturing the Body
Lorena radically changed her diet, prioritizing nutritious foods, eliminating carbohydrates and fried items, and focusing on fish. The practice of physical activity and prioritizing sleep became non-negotiable. She compares the body to a new car: "You wouldn't buy a new car just to put adulterated fuel in it." Her goal was to live a long and healthy life, dreaming of becoming a grandmother.
Strengthening the Mind
The mind was the most challenging pillar to balance. Lorena confronted limiting beliefs and doubts about how her new life approach and spirituality would fit into her CEO career. The fear of losing control and the need to centralize everything were traits of the past. However, she learned to free herself from these binds, realizing it was possible to work less and be more prosperous.
Connecting to the Spirit
Meditation was a game-changer. From someone disconnected from spirituality, Lorena plunged into a deep journey, finding in pain an invitation to divine connection. She practiced meditation for hours, even during chemotherapy, affirming health to her body. In a moment of crisis, during a second metastasis diagnosis, she felt an inner voice say: "I love you so much, and everything will be okay." This experience filled her with unshakeable peace, dissipating the fear of death and strengthening her faith in a greater purpose. For her, Jesus Christ became the greatest reference, teaching that "love is always the answer."
Professional and Personal Transformation
Lorena's leadership transformed. She shifted from being excessively controlling, focused on results at all costs, to a more compassionate approach, valuing the people on her team. She learned to listen to her body, ask for help, and say "no" to demands that pulled her away from her well-being. "It's not selfish to take care of yourself," she emphasizes, using the airplane oxygen mask analogy: you need to take care of yourself first to be able to help others.
Self-knowledge also led her to revisit her family history, understanding patterns and traumas. In a family constellation session, she recognized the repetition of her grandmother's story, a strong woman who "carried the world on her shoulders." This understanding allowed her to honor the past while building her own narrative.
New Purposes and Legacy
Her journey propelled her to create projects that reflect her transformation:
- Book "Live the Awakening for a New Life": A work that inspires self-observation and change.
- Vivo Despertar Institute (IVD): A philanthropic institution in Cuiabá that offers free integrative treatments for women undergoing breast cancer treatment through the SUS (Brazil's public healthcare system), including psychology, nutrition, yoga, and meditation.
- Soul Sync: In partnership with Cláudia Lisboa, it offers personal transformation programs, such as immersion retreats, to help individuals reflect and design their next life chapters.
Advice for the Journey
Lorena Lacerda advises that the first step for anyone seeking transformation is to ask for help. Whether from healthcare professionals, family, or friends. Recognizing that you can't handle everything alone is an act of strength, not weakness. She suggests that women release the guilt of prioritizing themselves and trust the process, viewing illness or life crises as an invitation to evolution, a healing journey, rather than a battle.
Her final message to her 15-year-old self is powerful and simple: "Lorena, you are loved enough." A reminder that the love we seek already resides within us, a love that, once found, transforms everything. This is a fundamental lesson for all women seeking empowerment and a fulfilling life.
Connecting with oneself, listening to the body and intuition, and cultivating self-love are essential steps for any woman desiring a healthier and happier life, regardless of challenges. May Lorena's story be a light for your own transformation journey.
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