This was the second talk I heard on Thursday and this was the talk that was really powerful and moved me. Cancer is something that I am very much afraid of because of how deadly it is. I have known many people who have been affected by cancer and have even died by it. I watched a TV show recently called Breaking bad. This is about a man with terminal lung cancer and how difficult it is for him to support his family. It’s very heartbreaking and saddening to watch. Hearing this story from Sabrina, a cancer survivor was terrifying and inspirational. For Sabrina, Cancer was a very common disease in her family and many of her relatives had it. She dropped out of her higher studies to nurse her uncle who had cancer. Naturally, Sabrina was terrified of the chance that she might get cancer. Many years later, in Singapore, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. How much cancer impacted her is crazy, not only the symptoms, but everything changed, her complete lifestyle was different, she couldn’t do the same things she used to do. The doctors immediately prepped Sabrina for surgery, the surgery lasted for 6 hours and was very risky, there was a big chance that she wouldn’t talk, eat or drink ever again. But finally her surgery was successful and she started getting her voice back. Sabrina later got pregnant, she was very happy and excited for the baby’s arrival but then, the baby had a miscarriage. She was depressed for a long period of time. Hearing this part of the story was truly saddening and moved me. But what really struck me was her positive and optimistic attitude, it really inspired me and told me that staying positive in tough times can really help me. She tried again for pregnancy and this time she was given a beautiful baby girl. She said the baby was ‘perfect and everything I hoped for.’ To me, I feel like, the baby was like a gift to her and that her optimistic approach to life had finally paid off.

This entire story really shook me and will resonate with me forever in times when I am in great peril.