"My spirits have not been broken the slightest. I was only briefly scared and confused in the first 24 hours of receiving the news," says 53-year-old Sabina Kabir while recalling the moment when she was first diagnosed with cancer.

For the past one and a half years, she had been experiencing heavy and irregular bleeding but none of the gynaecologists she visited were able to identify her condition. On October 22, 2020, her situation rapidly aggravated. "I tried to make appointments with multiple doctors but no appointments were available for the next two to three weeks. Due to the pandemic, the doctors were also opting for virtual treatment. But, I knew virtual treatment would not help me," shares Sabina. This is when she was suggested to go to United Hospital where she underwent dilation and curettage (D&C) test which is a procedure to remove tissues from inside the uterus to cure conditions of heavy bleeding. The biopsy results of the test revealed that she had stage one endometrial cancer.

"I could not be happier about the diagnosis. What if the cancer had progressed to stage four before the doctors could identify it?" mentions Sabina gratefully. Her positive outlook is further reinforced by the unwavering support of her friends and family. She recounts her friends donating blood for her and constantly checking up on her. There was never a moment where she felt hopeless and continuous support was pouring in from everywhere.

Dealing with cancer in the middle of a pandemic is even more challenging but Sabina was not scared to visit the hospital for her treatment. Neither was she scared of undergoing intensive treatment. "I was laughing in the chemotherapy room chatting with the nurses and the patient in the bed next to me had to draw the curtains and take a look at me because nobody ever laughs in the chemotherapy room," narrates Sabina amusingly.

Sabina's story is one of positivity and strength. Although the regular treatments and therapies have caused gradual weight loss and has made her weaker, she has not let it stop her from enjoying life. She even celebrated the start of this new year right after undergoing a huge operation. She is determined to keep on fighting and has no intent on compromising her happiness.

Interviewed and written by Tasnim Odrika of The Daily Star.