Trusting her instincts

Quick intervention and compassionate care

“I was told the tumour was so fast-growing, it might have only been there for a few months,” Areej says. “I’m so thankful my cancer was diagnosed before it had the chance to spread.”

Treatment at MSH began quickly with 12 rounds of chemotherapy over four months. “Everyone was very supportive, friendly, and positive. They always asked me if I needed ice chips or a blanket,” Areej recalls. “They even arranged for a nutritionist to come and talk to me.”

Throughout her treatment journey, Areej continued to work full-time. She wanted to feel as normal as possible and credits her care team for making that possible.

“My side effects were well managed. I had nausea after my first treatment and Dr. Babak took care of it so it never happened again,” Areej says.

Also important was the compassionate support from the entire Cancer Centre staff. Areej will always remember ringing the bell to mark the end of her chemotherapy treatment. “Everyone who was available that day came to watch. They took videos. They helped turn the moment into a celebration,” she says.

After chemotherapy, Dr. Li performed Areej’s double mastectomy. “She was amazing, always taking the time to explain everything to me,” Areej recalls.

More scans revealed the chemotherapy hadn’t completely eradicated the cancer. So to be extra cautious, Dr. Babak recommended an additional eight months of oral chemotherapy, followed by a year of immunotherapy.