Not all warriors fight battles with swords.

Some fight with a quiet strength that births reinvention and entrepreneurship.

When Cherry-Ann Boyce first found the lump in her breast, she tried not to think the worst. She had always been strong, the one in control, the one her family leaned on. But when the tests confirmed her fears in 2021, her world broke apart.

“The first thing that came to my mind was my daughter,” Boyce recalled. “She was only seven at the time, and I thought, ‘Boy, mi gwine dead and leave mi pickney.’ I didn’t know how to process that.”

The diagnosis sent her spiralling. Surgery followed, but even as her body healed, her spirit sank. Depression crept in silently.

“There were days when I just sat on the balcony and thought about ending it all,” she admitted. “I thought about jumping. But then my daughter would come, and she would remind me to take my medication, she would sit with me. That little girl became my superstar. She gave me the will to live.”

Her daughter and God pulled Boyce back from the edge. “I had to lean on God,” she said. “When I couldn’t find strength for myself, I prayed. And I asked Him to let me live for my child. Breast cancer doesn’t only affect the person, you know, that has the diagnosis. It affects an entire family. One day I said to myself, Cherry, even if you’re in pain, you cannot let her know anymore. And that’s when I recognised that boy, Cherry, you have to get up. I have to be strong for her.”

Living beyond breast cancer became a mission. Boyce had worked as a medical technologist for 25 years. Science was second nature to her. And she could not ignore the questions that had been building long before her own diagnosis, questions about what women were putting on their bodies every day. The issue hit home years earlier, when her eldest daughter, then just 13, developed breast lumps she believed were linked to commercial deodorants.

“I looked at her, so young, and thought, no, this can’t be right,” Boyce said. “We don’t think about what goes into these products. But I knew I had to find an alternative.”

That search eventually gave birth to Jamizola Naturals, her line of natural deodorants and skincare products, formulated with clean, safe ingredients. The name itself is stitched with meaning. “‘Jami’ is for Jamaica, the country that became my home. ‘Zola’ means calm. Together it’s about balance, where nature meets nurture.”

But getting Jamizola off the ground was not easy. Boyce laughs now, but the sacrifices were real. “I sold my sauce spoons,

I sold my vacuum, just to buy ingredients,” she remembered. “There were pop-up shops where mi never sell a ting. Nights where I went back to the lab again and again because the formula wasn’t right. But mi never give up. Just like with cancer, I kept fighting.”

Support came through the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), which helped her turn her passion into a structured business. “JBDC really stepped in at the right time,” Boyce said. “I was at [I think it was] Christmas in July and your stall was across from mine, and I think my daughter caught the attention of somebody, and I said, ‘Wait, JBDC, come, come, come’.”

“They gave me the training and guidance I needed. They showed me how to package my products properly, how to approach the business side of things. Anything at all that I am looking to put out, or any query that I have with regards to where to find information, I can pick up the phone. It gave me the confidence to see Jamizola as more than just a hustle; it’s a brand with a future.”

According to Vivette McFarlane, assistant manager of the Marketing Services Unit at JBDC, who met Boyce in 2023, the agency immediately recognised her resilience and authenticity.

“When we met her at Christmas in July in 2023, her story stood out,” Vivette said. “Some people get a cancer diagnosis and give up, but Cherry-Ann turned her experience into purpose. Even her daughter, who was under ten, knew each product by name and was right there helping to sell at the booth. It was beautiful to watch.”

She noted that Jamizola’s story fits perfectly within Things Jamaican’s mission to highlight local entrepreneurs who use innovation and heart to create meaningful products.

“We’ve always worked with people from all walks of life, from inner-city youth to persons with disabilities. But Cherry’s story adds another layer: survival. She represents the strength and creativity of Jamaica,” Vivette said. “Her products speak to a growing demand for health-conscious, natural alternatives. Consumers are now reading labels, researching ingredients, and choosing local options that are safer and sustainable. And Jamaica’s natural raw materials give our brands a real advantage.”

The name Things Jamaican™ has been synonymous over the years with quality Jamaican-made products. Today, Jamizola Naturals is stocked in Things Jamaican stores and exported to Barbados, her homeland. In the fiscal (April 2023 – March 2024) year, over 400 clients, with over 2000 unique product,s gained market access through the Things Jamaican™ stores. In total, 42,198 units of products were sold during the period, representing a 25 per cent increase from the previous period.

Promoting and building ‘Brand Jamaica’ is the main aim of Things Jamaican™. In light of the increased competition from foreign-made merchandise branded ‘Jamaica’ or ‘Made in Jamaica’. Things Jamaican™ stores exclusively retail and promote authentic locally made products, primarily hand-made by artisans using mainly local materials.

“When someone picks up Jamizola, I don’t just want them to feel softness on their skin. I want them to feel strength. I want them to feel cared for,” Boyce said.

October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is particularly personal for her. She calls her customers “breast cancer warriors,” and her message to women is urgent: “Pay attention to your body. Don’t ignore the signs. And don’t be afraid to make changes in your lifestyle. Cancer is not the end. You can fight, and you can win.”

Looking back, Boyce says the experience changed her entirely. “I don’t stress about the little things anymore. I live differently. I live with purpose.”

From the darkest nights of her diagnosis to the bright mornings of building Jamizola Naturals, Cherry-Ann Boyce’s story is one of grit, faith, and reinvention. She is not just a survivor. She is a builder of business, of community, of hope.