My name is Aisha Al-Tamimi I work as a Chef and an etiquette expert. I used to be a school teacher before I went into culinary arts and have been in it for the past twenty-eight years. I have written a total of six books and been on several tv-shows.

My story began, when I got used to routine mammography on my right breast for over ten years to have cysts, and I thank God that nothing happened. One time I was sent to the physician by the nurse all of a sudden. I had no idea what was going on, and when I met the doctor he informed me that the X-ray technologist found a tumor on the left side of my chest. I was taken aback by this newfound information due to having no family history of breast cancer. The doctor broke the bad news first and told me that I am a cancer patient, which sent me into a shock. I did not know what was going on around me.

When I started realizing what was happening around me, I heard the physician asking me what I wanted to do–how do I want to deal with my disease? Do I choose breast removal surgery or surgery to remove the tumor? Hearing that question infuriated me, so I told him that he is the doctor, and he should be telling me his opinion not to ask for mine. The doctor told me I was fortunate because my tumor was less than a centimeter, and I am in my first stage of cancer. I was referred to the lab by the doctor to obtain a biopsy of my tumor.

The doctor met with some of his colleagues after my lab results came back, and they agreed that radiotherapy was sufficient to treat me. The news regarding my therapy relieved some of my stress and anxiety. I was distressed and worried after the surgery, which was a weird feeling because I am usually a fun-loving person: I am the one who cheers my family members, helps them through rough times, and I am the one who lifts their morality.

I still remember how I felt when I left the doctors. I was shocked and traumatized, couldn’t comprehend what was happening, and broke into tears. I thank God for having my family support especially my sister’s help; she always was there for me, and supported me mentally through that hard part of my life, and made challenging this situation easy for me. She told me that I should fight and face my disease. My life turned around because of what my sister told me.

When I used to go to National Center for Cancer Care & Research (Al Amal Hospital) in Ramadan 2014 for my treatment all the staff would tell me that I am always happy and smiling unlike the rest of the patients and that seeing me brings joy to them, so I started to talk to patients to encourage them and help them.

I have completed the pharmaceutical part of my therapy as of June 2019, and the current plan for my radiation therapy is once a year; it used to be semi-annually for the past five years.