Alexandra Schulze

Raya Mananquil De Leon's Breast Cancer warrior Zumba class

Raya Mananquil De Leon's Breast Cancer warrior Zumba class in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles

Article (news)

Raya Mananquil De Leon's Breast Cancer warrior Zumba class 

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<p>Cancer is no stranger to me. Many members of my family have had it—leukemia, lymphoma, stomach, throat, cervical, and breast cancer. Still, I arrogantly thought it was something that wouldn’t happen to me. After all, I was a former yoga teacher and a vegetarian through most of my 20s and 30s.</p><p>In recent years, those yoga poses turned into Zumba dance moves, and my diet shifted to mostly plant-forward and seafood. I was in my forties and feeling great—healthy, active, and content. Then came my first long-overdue routine mammogram.</p><p>The moment the scan was done, the technician told me they had found something and that I’d need a biopsy. Even then, I wasn’t too worried. After all, we all know people who’ve had a scare that turned out to be benign. I thought the odds were in my favor.</p><p>When I went in for the biopsy, I met a kind Filipina nurse. As she prepped me, we bonded over growing up in the Philippines. During the procedure, she gently patted my back each time I flinched as the needle gun pierced through my right chest. When it was over, she walked me out and said softly, “It was really nice talking to you. And I hope I don’t see you here again.”</p><p>Tears welled up in my eyes. In that moment, I realized I might have to come back. And I did—many times.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:845px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761043014366IMG_4015.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:845px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Moments before I got my nine-hour surgery on July 18, 2025. <em>Image courtesy of Raya Mananquil De Leon </em></span></span></span></div><p>The hospital became a second home. From the day I was diagnosed, my calendar filled up with appointments—surgeons, oncologists, nurses, technologists. My world suddenly revolved around test results, treatment plans, and follow-up visits.</p><p>I found out about my diagnosis a few days after the biopsy. I had just finished a Zumba class and was walking to my car when the nurse called. Sitting in the driver’s seat, I listened in disbelief, trying to process what I had just heard.</p><p>The first person I called was my husband, Ben. His voice was steady and calm. He said, “I meant what I said when we exchanged our wedding vows. I will love you in sickness and in health.” That was when I broke down completely. I cried in my car in the parking lot for three hours.</p><p>The idea of death is confronting. My life started flashing before my eyes, and thoughts of the future filled me with anxiety, fear, and pain. Before having children, I used to live in the present. But as a mother, I can’t help thinking about the future—especially my two sons. Would I live long enough to witness their milestones? Their graduations? Their weddings?</p><p>Somewhere in the middle of my tears, something shifted. The fighter in me woke up. I wasn’t ready to let this disease define me.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:845px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761042761304IMG_4726.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">I had surgery at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center. <em>Image courtesy of Raya Mananquil De Leon</em></span></span></span></div><p>Eventually, I learned that my cancer was caught early—something I’ll forever be grateful for. But that didn’t mean the road ahead would be easy. I underwent a nine-hour surgery, followed by radiation treatments every single day for nearly a month. I completed my last session in October, which happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It felt symbolic—like closing one chapter and stepping into another, stronger version of myself.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:845px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761043837938IMG_4696.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A special Zumba class uplifting breast cancer warriors and survivors with the Filipino-American community in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles. <em>Image courtesy of Raya Mananquil De Leon</em></span></span></span>I drew strength from everyone around me. My friends and family let me cry, made me laugh, and gave me the courage to face every day. My sons gave me every reason to keep fighting for another lifetime. And my husband—he became my home nurse, my safe place, and my rock.</div><p>With my loved ones behind me, cancer never stood a chance.</p><div><br/></div><p>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</p><p>Raya Mananquil-De Leon began her career in the 1990s and 2000s as a runway, print, and commercial model in Manila, Philippines. Her work as a runway model for numerous prestigious local designers took her from Manila to international catwalks in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Osaka, and Paris, showcasing Filipino fashion on a global stage. Her time in fashion eventually opened doors to other creative paths, from becoming a DJ and host for The Magazine Show on NU 107 to appearing on TV as a resident judge of a magazine fashion competition. Beyond modeling, Raya found purpose in advocacy and self-expression. She taught yoga, supported PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and wrote lifestyle columns for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Philippine Star. She met her now-husband, Ben, at Coachella, a chance encounter that later brought her to Los Angeles, where she moved in 2014 after they got married. There, she began a new chapter, working as a patient coordinator for a plastic surgeon, supporting patients through their personal journeys of transformation. She also recently started to teach Zumba, sharing her love of dance and community. Today, Raya is a proud wife and mother to two boys, a 13-year-old stepson and a 7-year-old son, and continues to live a life grounded in creativity, compassion, and movement.</p><div><br/></div><p>RELATED ARTICLES</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/10/19/psgs-marks-15th-year-of-advocacy-run-for-breast-cancer-awareness-1906" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PSGS marks 15th year of advocacy run for breast cancer awareness</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/10/13/word-of-the-day-for-october-13-2025-mammogram-0700" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Word of the Day for October 13, 2025: mammogram</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/health-beauty-fashion/2025/9/30/beauty-brand-launches-campaign-for-pcos-mental-health-breast-cancer-awareness-1421" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beauty brand launches campaign for PCOS, mental health, breast cancer awareness</a></div>

<p>Model and wellness advocate Raya Mananquil De Leon shares her breast cancer journey, realizing that support from loved ones is instrumental in fighting life's biggest battles. </p>

Model and wellness advocate Raya Mananquil De Leon shares her breast cancer journey, realizing that support from loved ones is instrumental in fighting life's biggest battles.

In sickness and in strength: With loved ones behind me, cancer never stood a chance

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In sickness and in strength: With loved ones behind me, cancer never stood a chance

ABS-CBN Lifestyle,

Raya Mananquil De Leon

Published Oct 22, 2025 03:37 PM PHT

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Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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