With a diagnosis of Stage 3 Breast Cancer, Julie decided to courageously face treatment despite her initial fears and apprehension. Prior to that, the world of cancer treatment was both foreign and terrifying to her.

(*Julie is not the patient’s real name; it has been changed at her request for privacy.)

The Diagnosis

She stumbled upon a golf ball sized lump in her breast while showering one day, and got it checked out with a doctor.

The first hint of her diagnosis, however, came not from the doctor himself, but from seeing the words “likely late stage breast cancer” on a medical form that she had to take to another department for an ultrasound scan.

“At that moment, my understanding of cancer and its treatments was minimal, informed mainly by the suffering and painful deaths my relatives had endured in the past”, Julie recounted. “I could only remember the stress their illnesses had placed on them and their families,” she added.

The Treatment Dilemma

Julie’s condition required a multidisciplinary approach involving surgery, followed by chemotherapy, radiation therapy and subsequent long term hormonal treatment. As Dr David Tan, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist at Asian Alliance Radiation and Oncology (AARO) explained, “These patients go through a lot during the initial 6 months of treatment and often describe this as one of the most trying times of their lives. They experience a “roller-coaster ride” of physical and emotional challenges as they grapple with the side effects of each unique treatment, as well as the new environment they have to adapt to in different specialist centers.”

Recounting his first consult with her, Dr Tan said, “Julie was a very pleasant and polite lady who listened carefully as I explained the indications, practicalities and toxicities of radiotherapy to the left chest wall. Radiotherapy is a needful treatment for Julie and it was good that she got past her initial reservations which she later revealed were due to a prior negative experience with another specialist.”

The Journey

Dr David Tan, along with the radiation therapists, assured her that the process was swift, generally painless, and carried low risks of side effects. With the assurances of Dr Tan and his team, Julie made a decision to proceed with the radiation treatment.

Nurses at AARO carefully explained what she would expect during the course of treatment and helped her to manage the side effects of radiotherapy. Along the way, Julie verbalised that she had left shoulder stiffness and the therapists at AARO helped to refer a physiotherapist where she sought treatment which improved her condition significantly after a few sessions.

Julie’s experience with radiation therapy turned out to be uneventful and smooth, thanks to the exceptional team at the Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery (CSR). “I want to thank the fantastic team at AARO for their specialised expertise and patient-centric bedside manner. The treatment itself was indeed a “breeze”. Each session lasted for less than 20 minutes and the CSR facilities are gorgeous – the ceiling of the machine was designed to look like the night sky, and I really loved these patient-centric touches. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. David, Peishi, Pat, and Huiling. Their willingness to explain the process and reassure me in a foreign environment was invaluable”, said Julie.

Her Victorious Finish

At the end of her treatment, it was a moment of great joy and triumph for Julie as she rang the victory bell at the clinic. The nurses and doctors celebrated with her as she embarked on her new lease of life. With gratitude, she concludes, “I am still on long term medication and my body is not the same as before, but I believe I am braver in spirit now and hope to make use of whatever time I have left to enjoy life in various ways.”

This season, we are privileged to celebrate our Ambassador of Hope: *Julie

*Julie is not the patient’s real name; it has been changed at her request for privacy.