Written by Travis Rodgers | Edited By Amy Edel | Last Update: October 24, 2024
To read our first conversation with Dr. Berlinda Love: Pastor Talks About Her Recent Mesothelioma Diagnosis
When we first spoke with pastor and podcaster Dr. Berlinda Love in July, she was just processing her June 2024 mesothelioma diagnosis and discussing treatment options with her healthcare team. Now she’s in the midst of a series of treatments, which includes several medications.
She tells us she’s begun receiving infusions of Alimta, bevacizumab and carboplatin, which are all commonly prescribed chemotherapy drugs. So far, she’s received 2 treatments out of 6 scheduled cycles.
She’s also taking Aloxi (palonosetron) and Emend (aprepitant) for nausea, Decadron (dexamethasone) for inflammation and Udenyca (pegfilgrastim-cbqv) to help lower her chance of infection. Her doctor also prescribed additional medications to treat atrial fibrillation.
Further testing will be performed once all cycles are completed. Berlinda tells us she’s already feeling better than when she received her life-changing diagnosis of epithelioid mesothelioma after a nagging cough first sent her to the doctor.
“I felt much better after the first infusion,” Berlinda shares. “My coughing and wheezing has subsided substantially, and I’m free to talk and sing again without experiencing severe shortness of breath. My blood pressure is normal, and my heart rate is now stabilized.”
Side Effects and Challenges
So far Berlinda says side effects from her mesothelioma treatments are minimal. She did feel lethargic and sleepy soon after her first infusion, but she believes a urinary tract infection she was experiencing while undergoing treatment played a role.
Chemotherapy drugs are effective and often primary treatments for mesothelioma, but they can also cause multiple side effects. Nausea is the most common, but chemotherapy can also cause memory loss, fatigue, vomiting and hair loss.
Along with the Aloxi and Emend she’s already taking to prevent nausea, Berlinda’s doctors additionally prescribed olanzapine and ondansetron. Olanzapine in low doses and combined with other anti-nausea medication can treat the queasiness cancer treatments can cause.
She also tells us she has a plan to help fend off hair loss. Though she says so far her hair loss has been minimal she shares, “I purchased a cold cap to wear during the entire infusion process, which is supposed to prevent the medication from reaching the scalp.”
Products like cold caps and scalp cooling systems may help narrow blood vessels under the skin, potentially reducing the amount of chemotherapy medicine reaching hair follicles. This may reduce treatment-related hair loss. Its effectiveness may depend on factors such as the type and dose of a patient’s chemotherapy.
Berlinda’s Goal to Continue Pastoring During Treatment
Berlinda admits her most significant obstacle is continuing her normal day-to-day activities. While mesothelioma has presented significant challenges, she says she’s committed to overcoming it.
“My biggest challenge has been resuming my normal lifestyle after being hospitalized for a week and having to endure a barrage of testing over the course of a month and a half,” Berlinda says. “I am overjoyed that my malignant pleural mesothelioma tumor was discovered in time to be treated and prayerfully cured.”
She’s reassuring “people in my churches and in the community who are concerned about my welfare” that she’s doing better. And Berlinda is busy working hard to ensure that no members of her congregation are without a leader because of her mesothelioma diagnosis.
“I missed a few weeks of church service due to all that has transpired in the discovery and treatment of my condition,” she says. “However, I have just resumed my duties as much as can be tolerated. Two congregations depend on my services, and I cannot leave them stranded without a pastor.”
Berlinda says she’s prepared to bring in a temporary replacement if needed depending on how she feels. She says there may be instances where her medication could be increased, which might affect how she feels. If that happens, she’ll consider taking a short-term leave, but she’s hopeful that won’t be necessary.
The hot summer weather has been affecting how she feels right now. She shares, “The intense heat that we are all experiencing throughout the country does affect me somewhat. However, I am keeping my body hydrated and staying in the AC as much as possible.”
She’s happy her congregants have been supportive. “Overall, people are understanding, and I am thankful for that. Things, in my opinion, are progressing nicely. Time and further testing will determine that.”
Berlinda’s Career
Before turning to full-time ministry work, Berlinda was a schoolteacher for 31 years in New Jersey. Currently, Berlinda pastors both Francis Lake AME Church and Woods Chapel AME Church in Georgia. Her career has been a lifelong journey that began when she was just a teenager teaching Sunday school at age 15.
Berlinda has also been working on her goal of leading a worldwide ministry. Her weekly podcast, “Love Conquers All,” can be found at Envisioned Broadcasting where her ministry reaches 170 countries.
“I try to talk about things that are going to uplift people,” Berlinda shares. “The entire podcast is centered around love, but with different topics every single week.”
Her podcast covers various topics such as social issues, self-care and the power of prayer. Her work is now getting national recognition. Berlinda is on the cover of the most recent issue of the Envisioned Broadcasting magazine.
“People are starting to recognize my work, but it’s not about fame and fortune,” she tells us. “It’s more about me being able to help other people. That’s what my ministry is about.”
Free Resources From Asbestos.com and Advice for Survivors
Soon after her diagnosis, Berlinda contacted The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com for a free mesothelioma guide with information covering a wide range of topics for patients and caregivers. She talked to medical doctor and Patient Advocate Snehal Smart, M.D.
“I was just on the internet, and I don’t know how but Asbestos.com popped up. I ordered the free materials, and within an hour Dr. Smart called me,” Berlinda recounts. “It was so nice because she had gotten a FedEx box out to me right away with all kinds of books and literature with information about diets and the disease.”
She shares, “It was very helpful for me to know this in advance of my treatment. Dr. Smart is a wonderful woman. I’m so glad we met. She’s been able to explain a lot of things to me about the different procedures.”
When asked what advice she has for others who’ve also been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Berlinda wants everyone to know that there are many resources you can turn to. She also notes she believes it’s most important to maintain a good attitude and not give up.
Berlinda adds, “Don’t panic, pray, be strong, fight and don’t give in to feelings of why me and all of that. Know there are people available to assist you.”
“Follow through with your medical care,” she advises. “The doctors have their training for a reason. Just do what they tell you, and don’t make any excuses.”
She says, “Have faith and believe that you will be healed. Stay true to the course! Fight, and you will win!”
