After a breast cancer diagnosis changed her life, Atiba found strength in the people who stood beside her and a renewed purpose in helping others.
Atiba's story is one of resilience. In just a matter of moments, a breast cancer diagnosis changed the future she had always imagined.
In the weeks following her diagnosis, Atiba struggled to imagine what came next. But with encouragement from her brother Ronald, she found the strength to move forward.
What followed would test her in ways she never expected, and her journey was shaped by the people who stood beside her through some of her most difficult moments.
Today, Atiba has transformed one of the most challenging chapters of her life into an opportunity to support others and advocate for change.
As a BMS employee, she is committed to using her voice to help break down barriers for patients and raise awareness about the challenges many people face after a cancer diagnosis.
In this powerful story, Atiba reflects on the experiences that shaped her journey and the people who supported her along the way. Watch her video to see what kept her moving forward and why she won't lose to cancer
Video Transcript
CHRIS BOERNER: Science, like soccer, is a game of inches. Many shots miss. But the ones that land… Change everything. On the pitch, every second counts. For patients, every moment matters more.
Won’t Lose is a mindset that connects every team at BMS as we work towards one goal: delivering breakthroughs, knowing patients are counting on us. Won’t Lose is also our commitment to the patients and communities we serve. It’s our promise to keep pushing science forward until victory belongs to patients. Their stories remind us why we’re all in.
MARIA: I always looked up to my mother. I’ll never forget the day when her struggles with undiagnosed schizophrenia became so bad that I was forced to call the police.
STEVE: just met and married the love of my life, and suddenly, on our first anniversary, I was told I had leukemia. It felt like time was running out.
ATIBA: I was told it was Stage IV breast cancer. I spent 10 of the loneliest days of my life in bed, crying. And then I had to close a door I never imagined closing, the door to motherhood.
JULIE: My daughter Peyton was active and adventurous. She never missed a moment to share a laugh or hug with someone who needed it. There aren’t words to describe how I felt when I lost her to sudden cardiac arrest when she was only 19.
BURHAN: I was in medical school when my sister was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I focused my studies in neurology then one morning I woke up with MS symptoms myself.
JEN: My dad was a veteran, and an incredible father, his idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis took away his ability to breathe. One day, between his coughs, he looked at me and said, ‘I just don’t want to be forgotten.’
CHRIS BOERNER: Victory isn’t about perfection; it’s about refusing to quit.
MARIA: I refused to lose hope. I started working to change how people in my community understood mental health.
STEVE: It was my final shot: I tried cell therapy and a few weeks later I received the best news: It was working!
ATIBA: My brother looked me in the eye and said, “this is the time you fight.” I threw off the covers and never looked back.
JULIE: My Won’t Lose Moment? Turning my grief into action and realizing that what we do for ourselves dies with us. But, what we do for others remains and is immortal.
BURHAN: 93% of clinical trials fail. Yet, I chose to be a clinical trial physician at BMS because for patients, every moment matters. Every trial, every setback, every step forward. I’m fighting for MS patients like my sister.
JEN: I’m here to make sure my dad isn’t forgotten. His legacy continues to help patients and families living with the impact of pulmonary fibrosis.
CHRIS BOERNER: The world is watching. The world is waiting. With so much at stake, this isn’t pressure. It reminds us who we’re fighting for.
MARIA: Our personal struggles can become our greatest tools for helping others. My mom is now thriving. I started Kompashion to bridge the gap between caring and action: encouraging my community to reject stigma and fear, and to show up in the moments that matter.
STEVE: I’ll be volunteering at my local fire department, advocating for patients like me, and preparing to celebrate my 15-year anniversary with my wife! Sometimes you just have to look for that little shot at hope.
ATIBA: I became a board member of Living Beyond Breast Cancer. As an advocate for women of color in oncology, I use my story to break barriers, and prove that resilience isn’t just survival.
JULIE: The Peyton Walker Foundation has now been helping families for over a decade. Donating AEDs, teaching CPR, and increasing awareness of sudden cardiac arrest among youth. Peyton’s legacy continues to save lives.
BURHAN: An MS diagnosis won’t stop me from pioneering research. We won’t stop until patients win.
JEN: The Wescoe foundation is built on legacy and bridges the gaps for IPF patients and families. It’s a privilege caring for the people who struggle to breathe every day.
CHRIS BOERNER: Progress doesn’t belong to the ones who never fall. It belongs to the ones who keep going.
JULIE: That’s why I educate.
BURHAN: That’s why I build.
MARIA: That’s why I fight.
ATIBA: That’s why I rise.
ALL AMBASSADORS: That’s why…
CHRIS BOERNER: That’s why we WON’T LOSE.
Because your story can help inspire another.
If you're successfully managing your condition, we'd love to hear about your experience. It could make a difference for someone else.
Beyond just relevant information about Bristol Myers Squibb's therapeutic areas and innovation, Our stories offer a window into the work our employees do every day for patients.
Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. As global citizens, we work sustainably and responsibly to create a positive impact in the communities where we live and work.