By Shahd Alhamdan
JEDDAH — “What does not kill you only makes you stronger” is a quote that breast cancer survivors use to describe their journey after treatment. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several women in the Kingdom who have survived breast cancer have broken their silence to speak about their experience in the hope of raising awareness about breast cancer among the society members. Many of them have participated in Ford Motor annual campaign “Warriors in Pink”, the company’s initiative for battling breast cancer.
During these campaigns, several photo sessions for survivors across the Middle East region are held to enhance awareness, inspire patients in their battle, and encourage women to get regular check-ups.
Saudi Gazette had a chance to be part of the photoshoot in the Kingdom, held on Saturday, and spoke with two breast cancer survivors who were very enthusiastic, optimistic, full of energy, and always smiling.
Zumba instructor, Nour Jabri, is in her 30s and a mother and said that she participated in the campaign aiming to raise awareness about the disease in the Kingdom.
“Believe in your inner voice that God created inside of us. If you feel something is wrong, then there is something wrong. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 31 by coincidence. I found the lump myself. I visited two doctors in Jeddah and both said nothing was wrong. Yet, something inside me told me to look for more since I was not comfortable with it, so I went for an ultrasound and found that I had breast cancer,” Jabri said.
Jabari was diagnosed with stage 1 at its 4th level, which means her breast cancer is very active. She started treatment, traveling between the US and Jeddah, and become one of the survivors. Today, Jabri is very active in spreading awareness through activities and initiatives, such as collecting money from two Zumba classes that went to breast cancer patients.
Her advice for women is to keep doing home checkups and don’t doubt yourself.
She is very optimistic and positive, and she mentioned that she has changed because of her experience.
Recovering from breast cancer often changes the women who go through it. For KAUST PhD student, Noura Zahran, no longer understands people getting angry over simple things. Zahran believed that breast cancer was a blessing that altered her life.
“In October 2014, I was doing a self-exam that was recommended at the time and I knew that there was a small lump in one of my breasts that I did not understand, so I waited a couple of weeks just to make sure that what I felt was real. My family doctor did the test that she needed to do and I did all the tests that I needed. I got the results in November,” Zahran said.
She mentioned that she refused to be a cancer patient who lived a miserable life, and so she decided to fight the disease and did not lose hope. With the support of her family in Riyadh she succeeded in accomplishing what she is today. The treatment process included chemotherapy, and she had to travel between Riyadh and Jeddah as she was receiving treatment in the capital and studying in Jeddah.
Zahran added that after a few months she would reach one year of recovery. During the photoshoot she was very energetic and powerful. She mentioned that the journey with the disease made her to look at herself and life differently and she is stronger today.
Both said that the support of family members, friends and the support of other cancer patients was very important in completing their treatment.
