One month ago, a Malaysian woman shared her astonishing experience with battling cancer in a touching social media post.
What made her story so intriguing is that she had been carrying a child at the time of her diagnosis. And now, Aime Soon’s tale of hope against all odds has inspired thousands around the world.
“I finally have the courage to share my story today,” 40-year-old Aime, from the town of Klang in Malaysia, began, as translated from the original Chinese post by Goody Feed. “People say that a woman is happiest during pregnancy, but I am not so lucky.”
For a large number of women, pregnancy is a time to celebrate and a period during which parents prepare for the child’s imminent arrival. But Aime’s health condition impeded her joy.
A breast lump signaled to Aime that something wasn’t right. And it was not long before her nightmare was confirmed; she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in her fifth pregnancy month.
“Where did I get the courage to accept this?” Aime asked herself.
Posted by Aime Soon on Wednesday, July 12, 2017
In an effort to prevent the spreading of the cancer, doctors urged Aime to start a treatment that could potentially remove the cancerous cells.
“The medical program that the doctor gave me [was] to have surgery and chemotherapy, for me and the baby in my belly to have a chance to live,” she explained.
In her now-viral post, she shared on the KL吹水站 Facebook page, Aime’s honest story of how cancer affected her both emotionally and spiritually as a pregnant woman touched the hearts of many.
The immovable mother described her experience as “a pregnant woman with a bald head, so thin that others looked at [her] with a different look.”
“Still think I’m so strong,” she continued. “This kind of external pressure makes me feel sick and tired.”
After going through two chemotherapy sessions, Aime’s doctor recommended induced labor.
The stoic woman gave birth to a wonderful, healthy baby girl at 36 weeks, but time with her newborn was interrupted by more chemotherapy.
“While worried about the health of my baby, I had no way to have a good [postpartum] confinement,” Aime said “I had to have the next chemotherapy. […] Fortunately, I finished all the treatment and my doctor was very happy with my report.”
就想晒一晒😂
Posted by Aime Soon on Thursday, September 19, 2019
However, it had been an agonizing experience. Aime described the journey of navigating cancer through pregnancy as “like going back from Hell to Earth.”
But against all odds, Aime came out victorious. Not only did she push through chemotherapy while carrying a growing child, but she also won the painful war against cancer and welcomed a sweet baby daughter into the world.
As per Yahoo! News, last October, Aime celebrated four years cancer-free.
“[M]y baby and I are happy and healthy,” Aime declared. “I am grateful for the opportunity to live well. I hope to give everyone a little positive energy here. Life can’t be so happy every day, but I can’t always be sad.
“No matter what kind of frustration you face now, with a good mindset, accept […] life,” she advised, hoping to inspire others to persevere through hardship and focus on the things that really matter.
According to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association in Malaysia, one in 20 Malay women are at risk of contracting breast cancer at some stage in their lives. That compares to about 1 in 8 women in the U.S.
Early detection truly does save lives. But for all the suffering, there is also an expanding faction of strongminded women who won against cancer and look towards a bright future. And Aime Soon is now part of them.
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