The timing of her diagnosis was difficult as Malika had just lost her mother to advanced breast cancer.
Transcript
The diagnosis, I don’t know. I have known for quite a while that I was going to have it. I don’t know why, because my mother had it at a young age. There are a lot of breast cancers in my family, thus I knew I was going to get it, but not at this time, six weeks after my mother’s death. It was too much at the same time. What was difficulty for me was not the diagnosis, the cancer or the grief, I didn’t know anymore. There were mixed feelings, but the cancer itself didn’t frighten me.
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- Reconstruction surgery – MalikaMalika wanted to decide later on whether or not to have reconstruction so that she could focus on her survival for now.
- Messages to others – MalikaEven though positive thinking is good, Malika also thinks it is normal to think about things like dying and recurrence.
- Relating to health care professionals – MalikaAfter her mammography, Malika asked for a second opinion as she didn't trust the results, there the cancer was detected.
- Coping strategies – MalikaMalika reminded friends and family members that constantly urging a woman with breast cancer to have a positive attitude could actually be unhelpful.
- Perspectives on treatment pathways – MalikaUnable to wait, Malika decided to pay for tests in the private sector.
- Understanding the diagnosis – MalikaThe timing of her diagnosis was difficult as Malika had just lost her mother to advanced breast cancer.
- Testing and diagnosis – MalikaMalika decided to ask for a second opinion she did not feel ready to accept the first results.