[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/","headline":"Breast cancer awareness month 2022: Living beyond breast cancer","name":"Breast cancer awareness month 2022: Living beyond breast cancer","description":"Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore, with more than 2,000 diagnosed each year, and about 400 die from the disease. One in 13 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime and as of 2020, there were 2.26 million global cases of breast cancer, making it the most commonly diagnosed […]","datePublished":"2022-10-03","dateModified":"2022-10-06","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/editor1\/#Person","name":"Judith Tan","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/editor1\/","identifier":57,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/Judith-Tan-100x100.jpg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/Judith-Tan-100x100.jpg","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/Benefitgov_.jpg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/Benefitgov_.jpg","height":900,"width":1600},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/","commentCount":"3","comment":[{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/#Comment1","dateCreated":"2026-05-03 05:33:50","description":"I\u2019ll definitely be coming back for more.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"watch tv live online free","url":"https:\/\/pavon.kz\/proxy?url=https:\/\/www.oneotv.com\/"}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/#Comment2","dateCreated":"2026-04-27 23:02:06","description":"Loved the tone and clarity.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Salomon women shoes","url":"https:\/\/globalshoepalace.com\/product-category\/women\/Salomon-Women-Shoes"}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/#Comment3","dateCreated":"2026-04-25 09:25:18","description":"Your writing style is engaging.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Salomon hiking water shoes","url":"https:\/\/globalshoepalace.com\/product-category\/women\/Salomon-Women-Shoes"}}],"about":["Community","Health & Wellness","Local","Sex & Gender","Singapore"],"wordCount":2146,"keywords":["AI","breast cancer","breast cancer awareness month","Breast Care Clinic","Cecilia Lia","chemotherapy","DCIS","Ductal Carcinoma","Jayanthi Kanagaratnam","Mastocheck","Michael Cham","MIT","MOH","NUH","Nurhana Abdul Ghani","ong ye kung","radiation","Singapore Cancer Registry","Venetia Ang"],"articleBody":"Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore, with more than 2,000 diagnosed each year, and about 400 die from the disease.One in 13 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime and as of 2020, there were 2.26 million global cases of breast cancer, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. Over 685,000 of those diagnosed have died.\u00a0Breast cancer incidence in Singapore has increased three times in the past 40 years, creating a huge socioeconomic impact when it affects women in their economically productive years, disrupting childcare and daily function as a family unit.\u00a0Yet the misconception that breast cancer only occurs in older women continues, and because of this fallacy, many young women do not go for mammograms or for regular breast cancer assessments.\u00a0Breast cancer no longer a death sentenceThe model by the team of researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) using AI was shown to be able to identify a woman at high risk of breast cancer four years (left) before it developed (right). (Image courtesy of the MIT researchers)Being diagnosed with breast cancer today may not be a death sentence. Despite an increasing number of diagnosed cases, advances in diagnostic techniques and effective treatment options have significantly improved its survival rates.\u00a0One of these improved diagnostic tools is\u00a0Mastocheck, a blood-based test that can be used to supplement the routine mammogram to improve chances of detecting signs of breast cancer early.\u00a0According to the 2019 Singapore Cancer Registry report released in 2020, the five-year age-standardised relative survival rate for breast cancer between 2015 and 2019 was 82.1 per cent.\u00a0Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said preventive care for breast cancer is a top agenda of his ministry and \u201cif we can just be more aware of the threats and risks of various diseases around us (and) take early action… you can avert so much pain and suffering.\u201dNot a matter of making mountains out of molehills when it comes to breast cancerThe theme of this year\u2019s Breast Cancer Awareness Month is Living Beyond Breast Cancer, highlighting the different collaborations that continue to move survivors forward as the society works every moment of every day to support people impacted by breast cancer.For both Madam Jayanthi Kanagaratnam, 64, and Ms Nurhana Abdul Ghani, 38, breast cancer started out as insignificant lumps that the two women did not give it any serious thought.Former teacher and mother of two, Madam Jayanthi\u2019s cancer first appeared as a small lump on the right breast in early 2014. Thinking it was a pimple, she ignored it. The bump grew bigger four months later. Still, Madam Jayanthi continued to ignore it \u201cas I was really busy\u201d.That year, she was tutoring her \u201cO\u201d level students in English, and her daughter was enrolling into a university in Australia. She was also readying herself for her nieces’ wedding in Singapore and Delhi, India.\u00a0\u00a0Work commitment, denial and prepping her younger daughter for tertiary studies abroad had Madam Jayanthi Kanagaratnam (second from left) casting aside the lump that was growing in her breast from her attention. (Photo courtesy of BCF)\u201cI continued to wonder what the little growing lump was but did not really pay attention while it continued to grow within me. I was well aware of breast cancer but because there was no history of it in my family, I felt there was no need to check it. I even convinced myself it could just be a cyst,\u201d she says.\u00a0\u00a0It was when Madam Jayanthi told her cardiologist about the growing lump, \u201che was shocked I had not done anything and immediately referred me to the Breast Care Clinic at NUH (National University Hospital). I was still reluctant and \u2018disobediently\u2019 delayed the visit until my family insisted. It was just before my daughter flew off to Australia that I had a biopsy done and was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 2A Breast Cancer,\u201d she says.Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is when there are abnormal cells inside a milk duct in the breast. Considered the earliest form of breast cancer, DCIS is noninvasive or has a low risk of becoming invasive. DCIS is usually found during a mammogram done as part of breast cancer screening or to investigate a breast lump.A highly strong and independent woman, she was dumbstruck by the news.\u201cI felt I was going to lose my freedom. I would now have to rely on people. First thing first, I could not go to settle my daughter in Australia for her studies,\u201d she recalls, adding that she could not even cry.Like Madam Jayanthi, Ms Nurhana did not worry too much when she first noticed a tiny bump on her breast. After all, she had a benign lump in her left breast removed when she was 16 and had it promptly removed. This time around It was not the same story. The lump grew bigger over three months.\u201cI was slightly complacent and thought that I’ve got this. It was just a lump and what are the odds of it being malignant since I was at my fittest then and I’ve been very cautious with my diet,\u201d Ms Nurhana says.But when the lump in her right breast grew bigger over the next three months, she \u201csensed it might be serious\u201d. A biopsy, ultrasound and mammogram confirmed her worst fear \u2013 she had breast cancer. Ms Nurhana says she tried keeping calm, assuring herself that she had been through this before, \u201cbut sadly the calm was short-lived\u201d because both her children were aged nine and two then.Turning to pastor for guidanceA month after customer service specialist Venetia Ang was promoted, she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in October 2019. The cancer had invaded her lymph nodes and the diagnosis was clear: locally advanced breast cancer.\u00a0Ms Ang was stunned because, other than a tiny lump on her right upper chest, she felt \u201cperfectly well\u201d. \u201cIt was in April that I felt a tiny lump on my right upper chest when I did my routine breast check in the shower. I understood from friends that breast lumps are commonly found in the breast and are mostly non-invasive. My lump was located in my upper chest. I even had an x-ray done at a polyclinic and was told the result was ok,\u201d she says.But when the lump grew, she was referred by the GP to a breast specialist. \u201cDuring the early diagnosis, I was told my right lymph nodes were affected. But the surgeon had to remove about 19 lymph nodes during the mastectomy and my cancer was reclassified from Stage 2 to Stage 3,\u201d Ms Ang says.When Ms Venetia Ang broke the news to the children, it was her son Samuel who broke down. (Photo courtesy of BCF)Ms Ang says her husband David Cham was with her at the clinic when the news broke. \u201cWhen we broke the news to the children, it was my son who broke down.Knowing that Pastor Cecilia Lia from her church had been through the same diagnosis in 2007 since she shared her plight during sermons, Ms Ang decided to turn to her for help and solace.\u201cPastor Cecilia was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and had been fighting the cancer from the beginning. She even told the congregation that she received an email from an overseas pastor, encouraging her by saying \u2018your condition is not your conclusion\u2019. I believe that because of this conviction, she’s in remission till now. When I was diagnosed, I went to thank her for her cancer testimony,\u201d she says.Treatment for cancer: A beautiful painDespite going under to remove their breasts and going through chemotherapy that is full of suffering, with side effects like headaches, nausea, inability to keep food down, the three survivors emerged beautifully from the pain.Madam Jayanthi says she had been through accidents where she suffered injuries and \u201ccertain operations too\u201d, but her mastectomy and the whole year of chemotherapy was \u201cicing on the cake\u201d.\u201cIt was the darkest period of my life. I had to be brave, positive and try to smile despite the pain. It was for my two daughters. My eldest daughter was planning her wedding then and my second daughter was away studying,\u201d she says.But her family and friends rallied around her, not allowing her to be alone at any one point.\u201cMy husband, my mother, my sisters and their spouses, my nieces and nephews, and my wonderful friends were my daily doses of inspiration. \u2026 Not a day went by without seeing a member of my family or a friend. They sat with me, held my hands and let me vent and cry. They brought gifts and food to keep me going,\u201d she says.Like Madam Jayanthi\u2019s, Ms Nurhana\u2019s journey is equally challenging. She calls it \u201cthe hardest battle, even harder than being diagnosed with the cancer itself\u201d.\u201cEach time I was scheduled to do my chemo, it was always a battle. There are times when I dread going for my chemotherapy, stemming from thoughts that I walk into the centre healthy and come out weaker. I hated that feeling and I could still vividly remember the smell of the chemo drugs,\u201d she says.\u201cThe side effects that came with each chemotherapy was terrible. I experienced hair loss,\u00a0 my toenails detached from the nail beds, I suffered discolouration of the nails, pink-eye,\u00a0 nausea,\u00a0 fatigue and I also had hot flashes because my body went into pre-menopause,\u201d she adds.\u00a0Apart from dealing with the side effects of both the chemotherapy and radiation, Nurhana Abdul Ghani also had to deal with daughter Aleesya Adriana’s questions and fears. (Photo courtesy of BCF)Ms Nurhana told Her World magazine last year that she even had the difficult conversation with her elder daughter Aleesya Adriana, who wanted to know what would happen to the children should she die and whether the girl herself will get breast cancer.Ms Ang went through six months of chemotherapy and a month of radiation in 2020 and while she is grateful her bosses and colleagues held the fort at work during her nine-month absence from work and her family for taking care of her, she says her introduction to the team at Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF) taught her to survive.Outwit, outplay, outlast breast cancerToday, all three survivors can finally \u201cring the bell\u201d, something that cancer patients all over the world do to celebrate the end of their radiation treatment or chemotherapy, and look to the future to help them survive the cancer.\u00a0They were even part of a June photography exhibition called Ahead of Time, featuring 25 breast cancer survivors and their children to mark the 25th anniversary of the Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF). Nine notable Singaporean photographers, including Mr Russell Wong and Mr Mark Law, were involved in the project.After seven years since ending her treatment, Madam Jayanthi says she has learned \u201cto be grateful and happy for all I have\u201d.\u00a0\u201cBoth my daughters are now married and I have a lovely grandson. Since retiring from teaching, I’ve picked up many hobbies at the BCF. I now spend my time doing crochet, painting, and taking care of my grandson. I am living my life to the fullest. Cancer was really only a chapter in my life and I’ve still many more to add to my book of life,\u201d she says.Ms Ang is now a befriender to three friends who were diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, \u201cand just as how the BCF mentors had walked with me through this journey, I’ll be walking with them too. I’m also helping about 50 women inflicted with breast cancer in a bible study class \u2026 to help them live a victory after cancer life\u201d.As for Ms Nurhana, about a year after her final chemotherapy session she gave birth to her third child, a son.\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s my miracle baby. As I was in pre-menopause during my chemo treatment, I never expected I could conceive again. Apart from being happy, having him right after my chemo came with other worries like whether the chemo drugs would affect my baby. I was assured by my oncologist that it was safe and nine months later, I delivered a healthy baby boy,\u201d she says.\u201cIf there are any other hardships that I face in life, at work or relationships, I always remind myself that if I have fought the battle to take back my health and life, nothing else is ever that difficult or impossible to conquer,\u201d she adds.The Ahead of Time photo exhibition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of BCF is ongoing. Please click\u00a0here\u00a0for the different locations.RELATED: Breast Cancer Survivor: I chose life over future childrenJoin the conversations on TheHomeGround Asia\u2019s Facebook and Instagram, and get the latest updates via Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Breast cancer awareness month 2022: Living beyond breast cancer","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2022-living-beyond-breast-cancer\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]