Avevo uno stile di vita molto sano e tutto andava bene. Un giorno, mentre mi guardavo allo specchio, ho trovato qualcosa vicino al mio collo. Non era molto visibile dall'esterno, ma potevo sentire qualcosa di diverso quando l'ho toccato.

Diagnosi del cancro alla tiroide

I went to the doctor who did a biopsy, but it was inconclusive. The doctor gave me antibiotics, and they didn't work. I underwent a CT scan, and it was found that I had cancro alla tiroide, which had spread to the lymph nodes. I was diagnosed in January 2015 when I was just 32-years-old.

Trattamento del cancro alla tiroide

Ho avuto Chirurgia to remove my thyroid gland and the impacted lymph nodes. I underwent radioactive iodine treatment. It was difficult for me to go through with my low-iodine diet to prepare myself for the treatment, but I was fortunate enough to sail through it. I had some side effects, but they subsided in their own time.

Later, I moved to Canada to pursue my PhD where I did my one-year follow-up in Canada. I was declared cancer-free in December 2015, and with that came a sense of relief for me after a whole year of ups and downs. A couple of years went by, and things were okay. I had hormonal fluctuations, and I had to take thyroid medication because my thyroid gland was removed, but there was nothing serious to worry about.

In August 2018, I had a sore throat for a month. The doctor didn't think it could be a relapse because when she examined me, she couldn't find anything, but as a precautionary measure, she asked me to go for the scans.

I underwent the scans and, to my dismay, found that there was a lump. I am grateful that we found it early because I had no symptoms. I went through the whole Cancro alla tiroide Treatment again, including Surgery to remove that lump. I had radioactive iodine treatment, and I am on a one-year follow-up.

 After my first cancer journey, I wrote a book, Falling Up - Nine Ways to transform Trauma into Triumph, e lo ha pubblicato. Ora sto perfettamente bene e senza cancro.

Cadere - Nove modi per trasformare il trauma in trionfo

Il mio libro, Cadere - Nove modi per trasformare il trauma in trionfo, is on the concept of post-traumatic growth. It is about how trauma survivors grow after trauma and what helps them to develop. A strong social support helps them in their recovery and growth. Esercitare and meditation also help a lot. I used to write three things I was grateful for, no matter what was going on. I wrote my book in 2015, and when I was going through my second cancer journey, I worked more on it and published it after my PhD program.

Il mio sistema di supporto

My husband was there for me throughout my thyroid cancer journey. He has been my greatest support and strength. He was my primary caregiver, and I am very grateful to him for all he has done for me. I express my gratitude to my extended family and friends who were with me throughout my journey. They were just a phone call away whenever I needed support. They were always happy to provide me with mental and emotional support and played a huge role in my journey.

Lezioni di vita

Ho imparato ad accettare la nuova normalità e ad essere paziente con la vita. Quando mi è successo il cancro alla tiroide, ho capito cosa fosse veramente importante per me. Mi ha fatto fare un passo indietro e analizzare ciò che era importante nella mia vita. Voglio relazioni significative nella vita e voglio aiutare e ispirare gli altri.

Messaggio di commiato

Sii forte. La diagnosi e il trattamento del cancro mettono a dura prova la tua salute mentale, quindi non aver paura di chiedere aiuto. Racconta al tuo partner, alla tua famiglia o ai tuoi cari come ti senti. Ci sono così tanti gruppi di supporto e comunità, quindi unisciti a loro e ricevi aiuto da lì.

Guarda Il mio viaggio qui