Farida with her kids - Rayaan & Farheena

Faridas daughter was going through a rare condition.  She was suffering from some kind of atrophy to her brain which took away her vision.  This was only the preliminary effect the other effects would be known as she grew up.  Farida had realized that her little princess may have difficulty in facing the world, so in her heart she had decided to be strong and feed both her children with this strength.  Just as she was coming to terms with this issue, fate had other plans and the cancer news was broken to her when her daughter was 11 months old.  At this time Faridas sister was already terminally ill with Cancer and her condition was very serious.  Farida was surely not happy on receiving her Cancer news.  What she felt I will never be able to convey through words.  She went back inside the doctor's room and told him that she wanted to have a surgery.  In her words, "Doctor, I am sure of what I am saying and I need you to listen to me carefully.  I want to live.  Yes, I am willing to compromise on quality of life I will have.  I am not much bothered about it.  Concentrate on quantity.  Just get me as many years as possible to be with my kids.  I need to get my son educated and want to see him grow a beard, struggle with shaving, learn swimming, learn cycling and become a good human being etc., I want to make sure my daughter is safe and will be cared for, even after me.  She needs to know me.  I cannot make my parents suffer losing two daughters within a short period. I have not yet seen life.  I want to be myself someday after finishing my duties.  So give me years.  You can cut me, fill me up with medicines, prick me with needles and can be sure I am praying for you all through it".

Farida with her Cancer Survivor Sisters in US

Farida Rizwan opted for a Mastectomy, inspite of not being supported by her family or husband on this decision.  They thought she could go through some easier treatments.  But seeing her own sister walk down the aisle to death, and having dreams for herself and her kids, Farida had no time for trial and error.  Possessing a breast  was not the most important thing for her at that point of time.  Thus began a lonely journey to survive Cancer.  She lost her dear mom to breast cancer in the year 2006.  Loss of her sister and mom had not deterred or scared Farida, it has only fueled more strength in her to fight Cancer.  Today 15 years later if you ask her about the whole experience then, this is what she says, "Today after all these years I am sitting here and thinking what did I lose and what did I gain from breast cancer or precisely gain in my life after BC.  Loss of one breast, I had lost my hair too but it has come back.  Self confidence has grown much more that what it used to be.  I value my life more now because I had to fight for it and that too with a demon named Cancer.  I feel my life is something I have earned now.  I have enjoyed watching my kids grow into their teens and loved every moment of it.  I would never have known how wonderful my kids are and how blessed I am to have them if I had not fought cancer furiously years ago".

I know Farida Rizwan as a fellow blogger. She has claimed considerable number of blogging awards and is well known in the circle of bloggers.  I am sure with her picture and name many of you might have recognized her.  Today Farida helps other people by sharing her story and journey on various Cancer forums and is also closely connected to them. She was so impressed with counseling at an Institute in Bangalore that she completed a course of diploma in counseling skills from their institute.  She is also continuing her higher studies.  She is living her life to the fullest.  Courage, Love, Inspiration - Farida Rizwan that is what you are !!!

All the pictures are from the personal collection of Farida Rizwan & should not be reproduced without her permission.