Life after cancer

KIERAN ANDREW KHAN

There’s life after a cancer diagnosis,” Judith Khan emphasises. Having been diagnosed in 2014 and interacted with dozens of fellow survivors, she knows this all too well.

“In April 2014, I know I was due to do a mammogram. It was also around this time that I felt a lump on my breast.

"I lived well and maintained a healthy lifestyle, so it initially did not concern me,” she explained.

“In an instance like this most people don’t know where to go or what to do. I contacted the Cancer Society and also a gynaecologist who was also an oncologist. On my initial examination, he recommended a doctor to do a needle biopsy and immediately telephoned and set up an appointment for me to see him the next day.”

Khan initially received a diagnosis that the lump was benign and was advised to remove it. She had this done –but the biopsy results showed she had Grade 2 DCIS and invasive ductal carcinoma.

At this point, she saw a private oncologist who recommended removal of the breast and chemotherapy, but she also sought a second opinion from 21st Century Oncology in Miami, where it was recommended that she do a lumpectomy and the chemotherapy and radiation. The private oncologist referred her to the National Radiotherapy Centre in St James for the treatment, as she could not afford it privately. She was reluctant to do the chemotherapy but with the support and guidance of Michelle O’Keiffe, founder of Embracing All Real Survivors (EARS), Khan also saw a psychologist at the Cancer Society and eventually had the treatment.

“After my first dose of chemotherapy, I went on with my normal life, working full time and caring for my bedridden mother. On the fourth day after chemotherapy, I started to feel very tired that evening and when I left my mother, on getting to my front door I collapsed… it was the worst night of my life. I thanked God for my sister Angela, who took care of me that night.”

She learnt her lesson after that experience and made sure she rested after her chemo treatments from then on.

Later on, Khan had breast tissue removed twice, along with nine lymph nodes.

“While at first I did spend some time in denial, having to go through these processes whereby I underwent these two procedures, I soon realised that I had to own up to the disease. This does not, however, mean owning the disease. That’s different. You have to try not to claim the disease; you can pray and be positive and own up to it without owning it,” Khan differentiated. “When I was diagnosed, I never said ‘God, why me?’ The way I saw it, I was the strongest in my family, so God chose me. I became more spiritual, which led me to listen to Joel Osteen every night and helped me to sleep. I continued to do yoga and go to the gym after my treatment.”

Khan changed her diet to a vegetarian one, even though a doctor told her she was being pedantic. Juicing vegetables and fruits and chlorophyll and taking Usana helped her to fight the effects of the chemo on her immune system.

“Ultimately, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Having the support of friends and family goes a long way too.”

For Khan, that includes a level of outreach that she’s comfortable with.

“I have worked in outreach programmes and alongside such good souls as Ms Pat Tikasingh, but I find myself most comfortable dealing with one-on-one situations in terms of how I help people. However I can help people, I am happy. In some way it also helps me on my own journey.”

She also encouraged those diagnosed and their family members to read voraciously as much as possible to learn about this disease. She highly recommended The Definitive Guide to Cancer, An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment and Healing by Lise N Alschuler, ND, Fabno and Karolyn A Gazella. She also follows Ty Bollinger, who wrote Cancer: Step Outside the Box and recently listened to his nine-part series The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest.