Putting myself first

Blog written by Taiba from Safeena Muslim Cancer Support Network

Little did I know, finding a lump at the age of 32 would start a journey I never expected in my wildest dreams. I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2021 – I had egg retrieval (I didn’t have any children at the time) and was put onto medication to try and protect my ovaries from the effects of chemo. After that I had chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy to complete my treatment. 

It’s strange when you’re in the middle of treatment the things you seem to find crucial – for me, it was my eyebrows! I had dark, thick brows and was worried I’d look ill without them so I had them tattooed on – this had such a positive impact on my self-image during one of the hardest times of my life. 

Chemotherapy took a lot out of me – I didn’t expect it to be so draining and take so much energy from me. After completing all my treatments, I was positive and hopeful for the future. 

Unfortunately, the universe had different plans for me. When I was 34 weeks pregnant, I developed headaches, vomiting and dizzy spells – at this point, I found out my cancer had returned but in my brain. 

I now have a 1 year old – this was a natural pregnancy despite being told I probably couldn’t get pregnant without medical help.

Unfortunately, my cancer is incurable but I remain on treatment. I have minimal side effects and the cancer is being kept in check for now, which is great.

From my experience, I’ve learnt I’ve got amazing friends and family who have been such a wonderful source of support for me and continue to be. 

I’ve also learnt to say no, to put myself first and to think, what am I going to get from this? If I’m thinking of going to a social event out of a sense of duty, where I probably wouldn’t have fun and would rather do something else, it’s okay to say no. Life is short, for all of us, so do what’s right for you and brings you joy. 

One of the biggest changes I’ve made is my diet – I have made a conscious effort to cut out unhealthy foods, ultra-processed foods and now I eat only whole foods. There’s a world of information out there about what can and can’t help with cancer – but the most important thing is to make sustainable changes.