Ahd, Egypt

Cancer wasn't just a disease in my life; it was an inseparable part of my home.

In 2020, we discovered that my grandmother had late-stage breast cancer. While we were consumed with her treatment, rushing between hospitals and chemo sessions, we discovered that my mother also had breast cancer after she went for a check-up at the same facility where my grandmother was being treated. In that moment, we felt completely lost, not knowing what to do or where to turn.

At that time, people advised us to go to Baheya Foundation so my mother could get examined there. She booked an appointment, the diagnosis was confirmed, and her treatment journey began. I lived through every single detail of that journey with her—from the initial surgery to the final chemotherapy session, through radiation, and finally to hormonal therapy.

Every step of her treatment was heavy and difficult, filled with confusion and a total disturbance of our daily lives. But with every step we took at Baheya, we found someone from the staff there to guide us.

After her treatment ended, my mother volunteered for the psychological support team there. She learned handicrafts and began participating in bazaars and exhibitions to showcase her work.

Seeing this, I also decided to volunteer at Baheya to help the cancer fighters who were going through the same circumstances my mother and grandmother had faced. At the time, I didn’t realize how much this role would turn my world upside down and change me, perhaps even more than it would help the patients.

Every time I stood by a fighter, I felt an immense sense of responsibility. I wasn’t just helping her navigate the hospital corridors; I was becoming a source of hope, a comforting hand, and a pillar of support. I felt that this role was a calling. Every day I went to there as a volunteer, I felt that these people were my responsibility and that my presence made a difference in their lives.

These fighters have the right to feel that while they are fighting a disease, they are not fighting alone. There is someone fighting alongside them, supporting them, and easing the burden of their long journey.

I may not have chosen for cancer to be part of my story, but I chose to be part of the story of healing and hope. I chose to be a support system, a smile, and a source of strength in moments of weakness.

The journey hasn't ended here. I am still moving forward, side by side with my mother and with every cancer fighter.