Last month, we reported on the explosive trailer for season two of Bravo’s “Blood, Sweat and Heels.” If you were able to check out the preview, you saw that bubbly cast member Daisy Lewellyn received some pretty unfortunate news regarding her health. We were recently able to catch up with the self-proclaimed Queen of Effortless Chic, who revealed to us that she was actually diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last year. Keep reading to find out why she says it’s “the best thing that ever happened to her.”
MN: Now that you’re a reality TV sophomore, is there anything that you wish you would have done differently last season?
Oh God, do I have any regrets? You know what? I don’t have one regret from last season. I mean, I really had an amazing time. I thought that Bravo did an excellent job in giving my life a great summer. Obviously, we only have but so many episodes and my life is so full and I know they can’t show everything. But I think they did a great job of really showing my life as a career girl, as a woman of faith, as a great friend and just a girl in New York City trying to figure out how to have it all. I have no regrets and I just had a really good time.
MN: Last season, I remember you expressing a desire to get married and have children. Is there currently anyone special in your life?
What was the question?! Jazmine, I thought you were going to say, “I have the perfect guy for you!” You just got me all excited. You know what? I am still single and ready to mingle. I mean, I don’t even know why I’m single because I’m such a good person. I love high heels and you know I definitely am a flirt. But I just feel like, at the end of the day, God is in control of my life. Everyone knows that Jesus is my husband and you know what, we’re still going strong. I definitely do want to get married and have children and have the house in Martha’s Vineyard and live in LA or New York. But until that time, my husband is Jesus and my lover is my career.
MN: Your cast mate and friend Melyssa Ford recently appeared on “Millionaire Matchmaker.” Would you be open to appearing on that show?
I see myself on “Millionaire Matchmaker” giving someone a makeover to get ready to meet their millionaire. I think I see myself on there helping someone learn to dress for a date. I don’t know, the whole matchmaking thing doesn’t seem to be my thing.
MN: So I have to ask. Two of your cast members, one of them being Melyssa Ford, got into a physical altercation last fall. What are your thoughts on that whole situation?
People ask me all of the time, what happened with the fight? What happened? What happened? Funny enough, I was at the party where the incident occurred, but actually at that party I got sick. It was a situation where I really wasn’t present so I don’t know what happened or how it started. Generally, I can say that in terms of fighting and physical altercations, I don’t think that anyone wants to be a part of something like that because it’s hurtful. Everybody has feelings and everybody has emotions and everybody has someone that they care about and they never want to see that person hurt or mistreated. I really just wish the best for both Melyssa and Geneva because we’re all human and I just hope that everything works out.
MN: Switching gears a bit, I know that you were unfortunately diagnosed with cancer recently. What were your first thoughts when you heard the news?
My first thoughts were really very calm. My mother was there with me and she completely lost it as any mother would. Me knowing that my mom was having a hard time allowed me to feel a little more stable in my emotions. Really, my first reaction was, “Okay, how do we fix this?” I’m a solution-based kind of girl. I’ve never really been the person to have something going on in my life that I wasn’t happy with and that thing not be fixed. It was unfortunate like, “Wow, really? This is kind of weird.” I think that it was a bit surreal for like the first three months. Even after, even sometimes now it feels surreal. I just really wanted to figure out how we could make this work and how we could change this so that I could live on forever.
MN: Was it liver cancer that you were diagnosed with?
Yeah, cancer of the bile ducts in the liver. It’s a super rare type of cancer. Like, nobody gets it. Leave it to me to get the exclusive, rare cancer. No one gets it, especially at my age with my health and my lifestyle. It’s kind of unheard of. I was diagnosed at 34. It was kind of shocking. But also when I was diagnosed, I remember some of my immediate thoughts being like, “Well you know what? I’m not afraid to die.” It wasn’t like I wanted to die and it wasn’t like I didn’t want to live because I absolutely love my life and I’ve always loved my life, but they told me it was stage three cancer. I was like, “Well, if it’s my time to go, I’m okay with it.” But then I had to start thinking about other people in my life and it’s not that easy just to decide just like that. I realized that it was hard for my family and my friends. I’m not afraid to go to heaven, but I would like to stay on earth if I can. If it’s my time to go, then I can say that I had a great life.
MN: Several years ago, my mom was diagnosed with stage three cancer as well. She beat it, but it changed her forever. Her faith skyrocketed during and after that. I know that you’re also a woman of faith. Has this situation impacted your faith for the better or the worse?
You know, I really think that’s the best question I’ve ever answered, Jazmine. Cancer has been to my faith what Miss Jessie’s has been to curly hair. I mean like, oh my God. Oh my goodness. First of all, you hear something like this and you’re like, “What can I do?” I didn’t sign up for this. I had no idea this would happen, so what can I do? At that point, I realized that there was absolutely nothing that I could do but there were so many possibilities of what God could do for me. I really just decided from that point on that I have to stand on my faith. I feel like this entire journey, my faith and my hope have been working together.
Cancer is tough and people always feel that it’s tough because of all of the physical changes that you go through, but it’s also very challenging emotionally. It’s also very challenging mentally. It’s very difficult for anyone who loves you so not only are you being affected, but everyone around you is being affected. I have always lived my life as a happy person. I’ve always felt so blessed. I’ve always been able to see the light and understand how God is so awesome. So I didn’t really see how I could be diagnosed with this and then all of a sudden change and not be a happy person and not have faith and just give up. That’s never been my personality. It’s been challenging and there definitely have been days that have been a little less than bright for me and I’ve cried some days and then the next day I wouldn’t cry. But my faith has gotten so much stronger. Honestly, as crazy as this sounds, cancer has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. It’s been the hardest. The absolute hardest thing. That absolute most difficult thing that I would never wish on anybody, but I think it’s been the best thing for my life. It’s so much bigger than me and it has literally shown me that when I did not think I was going to make it, when I did not even know how to get out of the bed, when my fever was so high that I was shaking and having chills and just crying out to God, I was able to see how literally he would heal me. A lot of times with cancer, people think that it’s about reaching the stage where you don’t have it anymore. But I can’t focus on that. I have to focus on the journey and focus on every step being a stepping stone that gets me closer to God.
MN: Has your diagnosis caused you to reevaluate your life in anyway?
I guess somewhat. I’ve always had a pretty positive outlook on life, but what I will admit is that last season, we would argue. Sometimes I was involved in silly, petty arguments. At the time, things felt like they were so hurtful, but then you get diagnosed with cancer and you’re like, “Oh, no problem. I don’t even care.” In that sense, I think it helped not to so much reevaluate my life but to recognize the power in life. There have been times in this journey where I couldn’t get out of bed by myself. Someone had to help me up. So when you’re able to get out of the bed on your own, you’re like, “Wow.” It just makes you so grateful for every little thing. It really helps me to not sweat the small stuff because we’re alive. I don’t want to fight with you because we’re alive. I don’t want to hate you. I don’t want to dislike you because we all have life. I’m not saying it means you have to like everybody, but it helps you to realize the power of life and the power of your influence.
MN: It has to be exhausting welcoming the world into this part of your life.
It’s exhausting talking about this, but it’s not in vain. When I first decided to share my story of the diagnosis with producers and with the world I was like, “You know what Daisy? You have to do this because cancer is bigger than you. There’s someone who is supposed to be inspired. There’s someone who is supposed to be motivated. There’s somebody who got diagnosed and they don’t feel like they can make it. They need to see your journey.” It’s not like my journey was perfect or that I was skipping through the fields everyday but I never took my hand away from God’s hand. Although it’s exhausting, it’s not just about me, it’s about somebody else. If I can just inspire one person to not throw in the towel and not give up, to find purpose in their pain and turn their tragedy into triumph, then I think I’ll feel a lot better.
“Blood, Sweat and Heels” returns to Bravo Sunday, March 29 at 9 pm.
Follow Jazmine on Twitter @JazmineDenise
Bravo
