You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have.
"As an oncology nurse who cares for cancer patients, I never expected to find myself on the other end of the stethoscope. In 2006, I was diagnosed with stage 3 Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), a rare form of bone cancer. I thought I was well-equipped to battle the illness due to the nature of my work. But I was as scared as any other patient. When my hair came off in clumps in the shower, I cried. My lowest point came when I caught an infection during chemotherapy. I felt so weak that I wanted to give up.
My mum reminded me that I was – and still am – a fighter. My eldest son was only six years old then, and my younger boy was three. I told myself I needed to fight to see my sons grow up. So fought I did. Today, I share my experience with other newly diagnosed patients to support and motivate them. I am also actively involved in fundraising events for cancer research.
My view is that you never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have. Feed your faith and your fear will starve to death. To fellow cancer patients, don't give up easily because there is always hope. Nothing is impossible."
Zulfa Binti Anas
Senior Enrolled Nurse,
National Cancer Centre Singapore
Ms Zulfa is one of the winners of the Singapore Health Inspirational Patient and Caregiver Award 2016.
Tags: Nurse, IPCA2016