Sahar, Egypt

The chemo had stolen my hair, my energy, and almost my life. But it couldn't steal my spirit. I always stare at Youssef, my son, with his bright eyes and extra chromosome and remember that life, even in its most challenging moments, held a unique kind of beauty. For a long time, I have been facing the world with Youssef, and now I am facing down cancer.

I'm Sahar, a mother of three. God blessed me with Youssef, my middle child, who was born with down syndrome. Despite the challenges I faced raising him, he has always been a source of happiness and joy in my life.

Four years ago, a lump appeared in my breast, but I was afraid to seek medical consultation. Later, a mass developed. Upon consulting with several physicians, they all affirmed it was a benign tumor. This continued until late 2023 when I started experiencing severe pain in my left arm. My eldest daughter suggested I contact Baheya Hospitals and Centers to get an appointment for a checkup and they scheduled me for a medical evaluation after 3 weeks. I went to the hospital certain that I couldn't have cancer, but unfortunately, the tests proved otherwise.

The physician expressed disappointment regarding the delay in checkup, resulting in the tumor attaining a significant size of 8 centimeters. The MDT decided that I have to undergo a complete mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. While chemotherapy resulted in changes to my physical appearance, I was fortunate to have the unwavering support of my husband and children, who provided invaluable assistance throughout this ordeal. This illness was a good opportunity to reconcile with my sisters, with whom I had been estranged for a long time. They stood by me and supported me. My illness showed me the love and care of the people around me, but Youssef was the one who felt my anxiety and fear the most.

Unfortunately, Youssef's presence always created a gap between me and my other children because I focused most of my attention on him due to his health condition. But my illness helped bring my children closer to me again.

The period of illness was easier for me thanks to the psychological support sessions I attended at Baheya Foundation. These sessions changed my perspective on life and made me feel I am not alone in this adversity. Perhaps the illness was an additional burden on my life, but at the same time, it was a blessing that changed my life for the better.