The story of how 62-year-old Bibi Nazim overcame breast cancer despite the hurdles thrown her way serves as a beacon of hope for those grappling with this insidious disease.
Nazim’s life took an unexpected turn in 2021 when she felt a small lump in her breast. Her daughter, who is overseas, advised her to go to the hospital and have it checked out.
At the same time, Nazim was hit with her father’s death and had to go to Essequibo, where her family resides.
She told her family of the lump in her breast, who advised her again to have it checked out.
She visited a doctor in Georgetown, where the doctor ordered several tests. Owing to this doctor not being an oncologist – a doctor who treats cancer and provides medical care for a person diagnosed with cancer – she was referred to the St. Mercy Joseph Hospital.
At St. Mercy Joseph Hospital, the mother of two had to do a pap smear and biopsy. The result came back, and the doctor told Nazim that it was suspected that she had stage three breast cancer.
Stage three breast cancer signifies that the cancer has advanced beyond the breast and possibly into nearby lymph nodes.
But thinking that things could not get any worse, the 62-year-old was informed that the surgery to remove the cancer would be a whopping $1 million.
She spoke to her daughter and son-in-law, who agreed to foot the bill as her life is important. At the same time, another family recommended Nazim visit Dr. Mahadeo at the Woodland Hospital.
The 62-year-old mother of two visited Dr. Mahadeo, who did a third examination and informed her of having a lot of “limp notes.”
“He said with cancer, you don’t waste time,” Nazim recalled Dr. Mahadeo telling her. Her treatment then began with the removal of the lump and affected tissues.
After the surgery, samples were taken to send overseas for testing for her hormone imbalance.
Afterward, she was sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she endured a grueling eight sessions of chemotherapy.
“Chemo was terrible, and with me alone living upstairs, it was terrible, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation. After the first chemo, I knew that my hair would fall out, but I didn’t expect it to fall out so fast.”
The results, which were sent overseas, came back, and the elderly woman was a bit hesitant as she was afraid of doing radiation. But owing to the lump not being so big, she did not have to undergo radiation.
“In my family, I don’t have anybody with cancer, so I was in denial. I said no. I told myself you know what, not because of this lump; they said it is cancer. I don’t think I have cancer.”
The cancer survivor noted that her journey was not an easy one as it was her alone. Her children and husband were overseas, and it was only she and her in-laws.
While she doesn’t have the energy like before, Nazim said she hopes the government could subside treatment for cancer patients owing to the exorbitant cost associated with this disease.
Breast cancer is a formidable adversary, affecting millions of women worldwide. October is breast cancer awareness month. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that breast cancer is the world’s most prevalent cancer, with 2.3 million women being diagnosed alone in 2020.
