Candace Eng and Diana Batson-Prince were besties from the ages of 18 and 17 respectively. They attended college together, shared a lot in common, and faced some of their best and worst times together.
They have proven through their friendship that Proverbs 18:24 is true: “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
When Candace was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2025, it seemed natural for Diana to be at her friend’s side during each step of her journey. She was.
As they innocently shared their journey via social media, they never expected their story would accumulate over 100 million views around the world, and that they would become “celebrities” of sorts, thanks to a complete stranger who took a video of them and placed it on his social media platform.
Among those who read about or viewed their story were officials of the Barbados Marketing and Tourism Inc. (BTMI), who in turn invited United States (US)-born Candace and Barbadian-born US citizen Diana to visit the island and have their story documented.
When the SUNDAY SUN caught up with the two friends last week, who were on a ten-day visit to the island, they were more than willing to share their journey minutes before a planned photo shoot at Andromeda Gardens, St Joseph.
Community College
Candace, 68, and Diana, also 68, first met at Manhattan Community College in 1976, just a year after former Modern High School student Diana had left the shores of Barbados to join her mother in the US. Both would go on to work in finance.
Candace, who now lives in Manhattan, and Diana, who lives in Brooklyn after spending 23 years in Connecticut, kept their friendship strong and were there for each other when they and their husbands welcomed their children – Candace’s only son, Linden, now 38, and Diana’s two sons, Kelon, now 33, and Jordan, 30.
It was last November when Candace went for her regular mammogram that her doctor discovered a lump in her breast. Further tests showed there was not one but two lumps.
After tests were carried out, it was discovered that she had stage 2 breast cancer.
About three years prior to Candace’s diagnosis, Diana’s mum had been diagnosed with cervical cancer and Diana found the team at Maimonides Medical Centre in Brooklyn very accommodating and efficient. Armed with this knowledge, she suggested to Candace that she consult the doctors there. Candace agreed.
Diana, formerly of Society, St John, said: “I was able to help Candace because my mum was dealing with cervical cancer and had been referred to Maimonides Medical Centre. You can say that I was already three years in with my mum.”
Mastectomy
Candace affirmed, “I was so happy that I listened to Diana.”
Diana went many steps further for her friend. Before and after Candace’s mastectomy, she remained at Candace’s side for all her medical appointments.
“She stayed with me through it all. She was there for the appointments, including all my chemotherapy treatments. She ensured that I ate and that I was well looked after. She was not there for all my radiation treatments, but she attended some of those sessions as well.
“The hospital staff was also great. Again, that was thanks to Diana.”
What Candace feared as a result of her chemotherapy treatments was losing her hair. But even then Diana kept her in check and helped her to face the reality of either losing her hair or her life.
“The process was difficult and I wanted to be there for her,” Diana said.
“I wanted to be there not just because she was my best friend, but I did not want to go through life without her.
“I didn’t care about her losing her hair like she was. I just wanted her to live. I told her she could decide if she wanted to die with hair or live without hair. I had to be strict with her because she was putting beauty before her health,” Diana added with a firm voice.
Diana’s rebuke was a wake-up call for Candace, who eventually settled down and allowed her cancer treatments to take their course.
“I am used to everything now,” Candace said. “I have finished most of the treatments but will be taking pills for the next five years and immunotherapy for the next year.”
Both women now encourage each other, friends and family members to self-examine their breasts and have regular mammograms and ultrasounds, as prescribed by their medical practitioners.
Again recalling the journey and how thousands of people reached out to them once their story as besties on the cancer journey went viral – with someone even setting up a GoFundMe account for Candace – Diana disclosed that she was not aware of the magnitude of the social media effect, until her son, Jordan, explained to her just how big their story was.
In fact, it took Jordan and his wife, Katelin, to set up Diana’s personal Instagram account, which they now manage.
With the worst behind them, Candace and Diana, who left the island last Thursday, were just so happy to be in Bim – Diana to catch up with friends and family and both to enjoy all the island has to offer, thanks to the BTMI team.
The friends, who had previously visited the island together – Diana on many occasions and as recently as in May to spread her brother’s ashes, and Candace on two previous occasions – visited the Oistins Fish Fry, spent time at Harbour Lights, sailed on a catamaran and enjoyed spa treatments at O2 Beach Club & Spa, where they spent part of their visit, along with being guests at June’s Villa.
They also dined with a Bajan, thanks to Janelle Layne, of Work Hall, St Philip, an experience they described as “wonderful”.
Candace and Diana have shared much together, but they will simply tell you that that’s what friends are for. (CH)