'If I had found him earlier, I wouldn’t have gone abroad for treatment'

Sharmin has always loved children. Shortly after her marriage in 2017, she became pregnant, but unfortunately, she had a miscarriage very early. Driven by the desire for a child, she became pregnant again in 2020, only to experience another miscarriage. She was undergoing treatment for her health issues under the supervision of a gynecologist and was gradually recovering. However, after several years without conceiving, the hurtful remarks of others began to take a toll on her, even though her husband and in-laws had no complaints about the situation.

In January 2022, at the age of 29, Sharmin suddenly felt a lump in her breast. Following the physician's advice, she underwent a biopsy, which revealed stage-two breast cancer. She sought opinions from several specialists in the country, all of whom told her that although her life could be saved, she might never be able to become a mother. She was deeply shattered upon hearing this.

Sharmin’s husband, who was living abroad, rushed home upon hearing about her cancer. He stood by her throughout the entire battle, staying up night after night to care for her. He took Sharmin to India, where she underwent surgery. With the encouragement of Professor Dr. Suresh Hariram Advani and Dr. Garvit Chitkara, Sharmin had, by then, learned to stay positive. After the surgery, once she regained consciousness, she suppressed all her physical pain and asked her husband to neatly braid her hair.

Back in Bangladesh, Sharmin completed the remaining stages of her treatment at Square Hospital Limited under the supervision of cancer specialist Dr. Arunanshu Das. Her treatment concluded in 2023. After each chemotherapy session, she was often too weak to get out of bed for up to a week. Her beautiful hair fell out, and even her eyebrows were lost.

Her spirits would often sink, but she found renewed motivation in her physician’s words and tried to stay positive. Remarkably, she would dress up neatly even when going for radiotherapy! After finishing radiotherapy, she even attended a concert by the Dhaka Lake in Dhanmondi—a testament to her courage. She said, “Dr. Arunanshu Das is my inspiration. Had I known him earlier, I wouldn’t have had to go abroad for treatment.”

Through her own journey as a patient, Sharmin has seen many people battling cancer up close. She herself received unwavering support from her in-laws, relatives, and friends. She realised that fighting cancer is extremely difficult without mental strength and the support of loved ones. She shares her experiences on social media, advising others on how to cope effectively.

Having gone through every stage of treatment, Sharmin now dreams of becoming a mother. She firmly believes that no matter what challenges life brings, dreams never fade.