“Oh no, I’m going to die and won’t live to see my grandchildren go to university!”
That was the first thought that went through Shima Hassan Marcy’s mind when a doctor told her she had breast cancer in 2010.
She was 52 years old, recently widowed, and had started a business in 2007.
But 14 years on, and after surviving a second cancer scare in 2021, Shima leads a full life, having reached the base camp of Mount Everest, completed ultra, and full marathons, and cycled hundreds of thousands of kilometres.
“I had just returned from Vietnam after visiting my daughter in 2010 when I noticed a lump on my breast. I scheduled an appointment with a doctor, and after a few tests, my worst fears were confirmed,” said the mother of four.
“The doctor told me it was triple-negative (an aggressive type of invasive breast cancer). I was so afraid at that time. I thought I was going to die, and I didn’t want anyone to visit me. I kept thinking of my grandchildren and how I would miss seeing them grow up.
“However, I vowed not to let the illness affect me. Despite undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, I continued with my morning walks, even though there were times I felt tired.”
At that time, her grandchildren, Tya Tadaffee and Chinta Farul, were both a year old. They were the ones who gave Shima the strength to make a full recovery, so that she “could see them graduate from university”.
“I told myself I must listen to the doctor, take my medicine, and become more active,” she said.
“You know what they say, a grandchild is like heaven on earth. I was determined to beat cancer for them.
“After undergoing treatment and getting the all-clear from the doctors, I vowed to celebrate my new lease on life.”
She started becoming more active, leading a healthier lifestyle, and began taking part in runs, marathons, and ultra marathons.
In 2017, she and a group of friends reached the base camp of Mount Everest.
But it came crashing down in 2021 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer once again. This time, it was HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2).
“This time, I didn’t mind having my family and friends around, as I had already experienced the treatment,” said Shima, who lives in Sentul.
“But it’s been three years, and it has not stopped my activities. I still run, cycle, and travel the world.”
This weekend, Shima, 111 other cancer survivors, and 2,600 supporters took part in the Relay For Life: Cancer Freedom Torch Relay – ‘an event celebrating the lives of cancer survivors and remembering the lives of loved ones who lost the battle’.
The run started in Taman Titiwangsa yesterday and ends today at Manipal University in Melaka.
Organised by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, participants will run between one and seven kilometres. They will hand out cancer awareness and care brochures during the relay.
