KUALA LUMPUR: Before she started to reflect on her circumstances, Dr Kartini Kamalul Ariffin, 46, used to blame herself for her cancer diagnosis and struggled to accept her condition, particularly because she felt healthy.
Kartini said she was disappointed when doctors linked her cancer to her family history when inquiring about its cause.
"The implication that genetics determines my fate felt like an unfair sentence. However, I soon realised that while family history can increase risk, it does not guarantee a cancer diagnosis, as each individual is different.
"This awareness empowered me to take a more proactive approach to my health and become an advocate for myself," she said.
Kartini said when she found out that she had Stage One cancer, she struggled to accept it.
"I underwent a health screening when I was 40 years old in 2022. The mammogram results were satisfactory and showed no signs of cancer.
"Less than a year later, in February 2023, I noticed a lump in my left breast while showering.
"I didn't wait long and went for a check-up at the hospital. After a biopsy, I found out I had Stage One cancer with a 2cm lump," she said during a session at the Breast Cancer Awareness Week organised by the Oncology and Radiotherapy Department at Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital (HCTM).
Kartini said, at first, she isolated herself as she came to terms with her condition.
"I began to question why this illness happened to me. My shock turned into anger, and I felt inadequate.
"I found it strange because I led a healthy lifestyle. But my mother was also a former Stage Two breast cancer patient who is now cancer-free after treatment.
"My mother has provided a lot of support and advice, and when we share our feelings, it strengthens the bond between us," she said.
Kartini said the doctor had inquired about her family history and she hesitated to share it.
Later, Kartini realised that family history contributes to the risk of developing breast cancer.
"However, I knew I couldn't stay in that phase for too long. I realised that not everything is within our control.
"I decided to rise again because my time on earth wasn't over. I couldn't imagine how my children would grow up without a mother and how my husband would manage the family without me," she said.
Kartini also viewed her experience as a blessing, as she completed her thesis and graduated with a PhD in Communications.
"Initially, I put my PhD thesis aside to focus on treatment.
"But, after the surgery, I felt a new spirit while recuperating. I completed my thesis while undergoing scheduled radiotherapy," she said.
According to Kartini, it has been a year since she became a cancer fighter.
While she has not been declared cancer-free, she is now using social media to share her journey.
"My husband and children provide positive support. My husband has accepted it well. He also supports me with the kids. Every weekend, I take my children to the hospital with me.
"It has become a family routine. While other families go shopping on weekends, ours goes to the hospital," she said.