Sherin, Egypt

" You pose a risk to us.!!" This painful phrase, which I heard from the management of a well-known company after they learned of my breast cancer diagnosis, came as a shock. I felt stressed and marginalized, which forced me to attend treatment sessions at 7:00 AM so that I could go to work afterward without anyone noticing my suffering. Despite all my efforts to keep my job, I was eventually told, "You are a risk; something could happen to you at work, and we will not be held responsible."

The cancer diagnosis may have come a week before my birthday, shattering the joy of the celebration and turning my days into a nightmare. I remember how I used to see events of Breast Cancer Awareness Month everywhere, and how my friends and I decided to undergo an early detection as part of the awareness campaign. Unfortunately, the examinations revealed that I had cancer.

On my birthday, as others celebrated, I was devastated, fearing for my children and thinking that I might lose my life and leave them without care. But after a period of treatment, the feelings of fear decreased, especially after I started working in the human resources department at Baheya Foundation, where I found full support and appreciation for being a cancer fighter.

After recovering from breast cancer and returning to my normal life, I felt new pain, and examinations revealed that cancer had returned aggressively in the ovaries and bones, and in an advanced stage. The frustration was intense, but this time, I found unwavering support from my colleagues and superiors at work, never making me fear for my job. Instead, they were understanding and supportive.

I returned to chemo, and I would go to work after the sessions. Today, as I write these words, I announce my complete recovery from cancer. Some people may not believe I'm a cancer survivor, and sometimes even I, can't believe I've overcome all these adversities with such strength and determination.