The fear of leaving her two children on their own is what delayed Irene Hamidullah’s decision to undergo her surgery for cancer.

Ms Hamidullah, a cancer survivor, was happy to share her story during the Pinktober Morning Tea organised by the Serendib Investment Limited at Vatuwaqa in Suva yesterday.

2016 was a bad year for Ms Hamidullah. Her husband had walked out on her while she was battling breast cancer.

Breast cancer was not new to her family as she lost her mother to the deadly disease when she was young.

“The beginning of 2016 my husband walked out us when I was detected with Stage Two breast cancer so it was just my two children and I,” an emotional Ms Hamidullah said.

“While waiting for my results I became frustrated and suicidal, but my faith is what kept me going strong.”

She had refused to go under the knife because there was no one to look after her children.

“I told my sisters that I can’t undergo the surgery because there won’t be anyone looking after my kids and the only question they asked me was, if I wanted my kids to go through the same experience we had when our mother died of cancer,” she said.

“That encouraged me to undergo the surgery and chemo therapies.”

Ms Hamidullah said her sisters were very supportive and took care of her children and their welfare.

“During my surgery I used to sleep only half an hour but I kept reading the Bible and praying. It improved my sleep routine,” she said.

Now that she is a survivor, she spends most of her time at the Fiji Cancer Society sharing and helping out in their programmes.

Fijian Holdings Limited director Sakiusa Raivoce highlighted the importance of family support for all the cancer patients.

“This is a social responsibility and a lesson for us, especially for men,” Mr Raivoce said.

“Please don’t leave your wife or girlfriend if they are suffering from cancer.”

Funds raised during the morning tea was donated to the Fiji Cancer Society.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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