A Survivor’s Story

Rietta Tan, 52

Take one look at Rietta, and you would never guess how much she has gone through in her life. Well adorned in the latest fashion, she is the embodiment of an empowered working woman. As she related her story, we were moved by her will power to survive.

Having a non cancerous lump removed 25 years ago, she took for granted that the second lump she detected 3 years ago was nothing serious until she started experiencing constant fatigue and heavy menstrual flow. It was then that she decided to undergo a mammogram. She was shocked when notified of having Stage 3 breast cancer.

Other than having to remove her breast, she had to go through 8 cycles of chemotherapy which resulted in low resistance, loss of hair and development of many ulcers in her mouth. The burning sensation from the ulcers was so painful that she could not eat at all. There were many times that she felt like giving up and putting a halt to chemotherapy, but constant encouragement and support from her family and relatives pulled her through.

After the tough journey battling breast cancer, Rietta joined BCF support group in December 2006 and participated in their activities such as Qigong. She was also told that dragon-boating was good as it could help prevent the swelling of arms (one of the side effects of chemotherapy), so she joined the dragon-boating team, Pink Paddlers.

“Cancer has changed my life and I started to think more for others. I also started devoting more time and space to do things for myself.”

Being diagnosed to have had advanced breast cancer, Rietta feels very blessed to be given a second chance to live.

“We must also treasure the finer things in life, and live life to the fullest.”