KUALA TERENGGANU: Nur Shuhadah Azman is a single mother battling stage three breast cancer and living as a person with bipolar disorder.
Her daughter Izzara Qalesya Iffizie Irman, 9, lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) since five years ago.
Handling these four 'tests' has not been easy for Nur Shuhadah, 38.
She had been diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago before she and her husband parted ways. She is now alone taking care of her daughter.
Despite the odds, she is grateful for her blessings and continues to be the best mother for Izzara Qalesya.
"I accept my fate of being a breast cancer patient and a single mother to a special child.
"My journey in life has not been easy. I am not ony battling cancer, but I also need to make sure my daughter grows up well."
Nur Shuhadah, who is from Pulau Kambing, Kuala Terengganu makes ends meet with an online business which allows her to focus her time on her daughter.
"My husband and I went separate ways not long after I was informed about my cancer. My challenge as a single mother began from that moment.
"It was tough to earn a living because I could not find anyone to take of Izzara Qalesya.
"She goes through some tantrums and sometimes it could get serious to a point of my daughter injuring herself. That is why I could not take any job other than an online business because I need to care for Izzara Qalesya all day," she told Harian Metro.
On her cancer treatment, she said doctors removed her left breast and she underwent six chemotherapy and 15 radiotherapy sessions.
"Izzara Qalesya is currently undergoing speech therapy at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and her therapy also involves horses. She also goes to classes under Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi (PPKI) at SK Ladang,"
Nur Shuhadah said her family and close friends give her emotional support whenever she feels down, particularly when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder last year.
"To be honest, my sales of the slimming products are not encouraging. I rely on my savings.
"However, I am thankful because I can share my problems with my family and friends. My friends invite me to join them for vacations and I bring my daughter along. We go to the islands."
Nur Shuhadah prays that she is given health.
"I have been sick a lot recently. I worry that will affect my work and my taking care of Izzara Qalesya."