HTAY, Myanmar

I am 69 years old now and in good health. I am a mother of three children and a retired nursing officer. I used to examine my breasts regularly, and one day at age 60, I felt a small, hard, painless mass in my left breast.

I immediately had a mammogram and breast ultrasound, which surprisingly detected highly suspicious masses not only in my left breast but also in my right. I decided to undergo urgent treatment, including a mastectomy of both breasts, followed by systemic chemotherapy for 8 cycles and 25 fractions of radiation.

The biggest challenge was that I needed to remove my breasts simultaneously, but I accepted it with the hope of achieving a cure.

I was very fortunate that my beloved husband and daughter are medical doctors, and with other family members, they gave me strong support, morally and financially. I have now been surviving for nine years, and actively getting involved in the peer support program as a volunteer peer support provider for the past seven years has helped me to live in high spirits.

Throughout my cancer journey, the surgeon, the anesthetist, the medical and radiation oncologists, together with their staff, including the nurses I met, were so kind, affectionate, and empathetic towards me that l obtained the highest moral support.

My family has a history of cancer. My mother was successfully treated for colon carcinoma at age 74, and my elder sister for cervical cancer at age 63. I would like to send a message to all my loved ones to be self-aware of cancer, acquire knowledge on health education, and have regular medical check-ups.

This story was published with the consent of Shwe Young Hnin Si Cancer Foundation, Myanmar.