From Fashion Entrepreneur to Breast Cancer Warrior

Originally from the South of France and the Grenadine Islands, Valérie Mélanie Engel is a fighter in every sense of the word. After completing her degree in art and fashion and working for luxury fashion house Chanel, the Miami Beach transplant and mother-of-two embarked on her own brand journey by opening her dream boutique: Roses and Dreams. The chic French-inspired store offers quality apparel, accessories, and swimwear for women, children, and babies as well as personal shopping and local deliveries. Essentially, Engel was living out her dream. Among her many titles which include “style scout” and “entrepreneur,” “cancer fighter” is a relatively new one.

After a regularly scheduled mammogram, Engel was diagnosed with breast cancer. With no family history of the disease or concerning growths discovered during self-breast checks, the 34-year-old businesswoman was taken aback by her diagnosis—especially given that she was younger than the official suggested age for mammograms. Earlier this month, Engel recounted her cancer story with us, offering advice she hopes women will consider.

“[This experience] has taught me a lot, but if I have to choose one of those lessons to share, it’s not to take life for granted,” she said. “A lot of us tend to think ‘this only happens to others,’ but it does not. Life can change in a second no matter who you are.”

News of the diagnosis came during the Christmas season last year, which Engel found particularly challenging, as she didn’t want to disrupt her family’s holiday celebrations.

“Keeping a happy face for my kids during the holidays, birthdays, and our anniversary was a real challenge,” she explains. “Throughout this whole process I tried to remain present and be a good mom as much as I could. I don’t want my kids to suffer from this situation.”

The style star had to put her business on hold following her diagnosis, a “heartbreaking” decision, but one she had to make in order to remove any additional pressure and make her family a priority. However, Engel is determined to fight her disease and encourages other women who are facing similar challenges to do the same.

“My main words of encouragement would be to stay strong and never give up, even if the situation seems overwhelming, heartbreaking, or impossible,” she continues. “Accept the challenge, and fight for you and your loved ones. We all have willpower; make it the strongest ‘muscle’ in your body. You gain a strength you never knew you had and keep pushing forward.”

To avoid misinformation about breast cancer, Engel advises women to avoid self-diagnosis on Google and consult with specialists they trust. She also urges women to schedule yearly mammograms, even if they don’t feel particularly at risk. As a result of her screenings, doctors, and care team, Engel was able to detect her cancer at an early stage, be properly diagnosed, and obtain the necessary care. For that, she is incredibly grateful to her Mount Sinai care team (including her oncologist, Dr. Rodrigo Arrangoiz) for their support in her cancer journey.

“They are superheroes,” she adds. “It takes a village to tackle the problem, and they do so as a team.”