In 2017, I was working as a nurse in Karachi when I started having unexplained fever. I was evaluated in a local hospital where I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I looked at various treatment options for cancer. My father had passed away and with my humble income, it would have been impossible to pay for cancer treatment. At the same time, I was not ready to say goodbye to my dreams and my life.

In those moments of panic and uncertainty, my mother brought clarity and hope to me when she suggested that I visit a renowned tertiary care cancer hospital in Lahore. My treatment plan included surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. It was a relief to know that the hospital offered chemotherapy at the Karachi Diagnostic Centre and Clinic, making part of the treatment accessible and convenient for me. My entire experience was excellent in terms of quality of care that I received.

For any patient, trust and faith in the treating hospital is very important, and I trusted that place with my life. I have completed active cancer treatment, and I am still under the care of the same hospital for follow-up. There are thousands of patients like me in the province of Sindh who are fighting cancer on multiple fronts, and we can ease their suffering by bringing the unique model of Shaukat Khanum closer to their homes, which provides quality cancer care as a right and not a privilege.