If you’re a bride, can you imagine getting diagnosed with cancer before wedding day? Would you consider battling the disease before tying the knot with your groom?
A few days before the wedding, most women are busy with wedding plans, photoshoots, and other stuff related to the marriage. Some women enjoy the remaining days before the wedding on their own—by pampering themselves.
Marriage symbolises a new beginning—the beginning of a family and a life-long commitment. It is one step toward building a warm home—having an emotional and spiritual union and mirroring God’s unconditional love.
Wedding day is a dream come true for several women, regardless of their race, nationalities, and culture. Many women in their younger years dreamt of walking down the aisle and marrying someone they genuinely love one day.
Getting married is the next step once a woman finds the one—the person she is willing to spend forever with. However, women have a lot of preparation to do days before one of their biggest days.
However, how would you feel when you discovered that you have life-threatening illness days before your big day? A Singaporean woman learned about her cancer diagnosis approximately six days before her wedding.
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Woman Diagnosed With Cancer Before Wedding
A Singaporean woman found out that she was diagnosed with cancer days prior to her most-awaited wedding day. After they discovered the news about her health condition, she needed to endure a 6-year-long battle against cancer.
The Cancer Diagnosis Came Out Six Days Before the Wedding
Everything happened back in 2016. It was just six days before her wedding day when the result came out.
Back then, Zhang Huifang was 29-year-old when the doctors told her about her health condition. They said that she has endometrial cancer that begins in the uterus.
Heartbreakingly, Ms Zhang Huifang was not just diagnosed with endometrial cancer. They also found out that she has meningioma.
Meningioma is a tumour arising from the meninges—the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Technically, it is not considered to be a brain tumour. However, it is a type of brain tumour that develops slowly in that area that protects the brain and spinal cord.
Ms Zhang Huifangg clarified that no one in her family showed a history of cancer. However, she narrowed her suspicions that probably caused the development of her tumour. According to her, it could be a stress-induced hormonal imbalance.
In relation to that, Ms Zhang Huifang is a career woman. She works as a project director for a multinational corporation (MNC).
Before she learned about her cancer diagnosis, she was passionate about her career. Moreover, Ms Zhang Huifang’s passion motivates her to work day and night. Unfortunately, being a workaholic generated a lot of stress.
Groom Pushes Through the Wedding Despite the Bride’s Cancer Diagnosis
No health illness diagnosis hinders the couple from committing love to each other.
Ms Zhang Huifang decided to admit to her future family-in-law about her health condition. She told them they might struggle to give them grandchildren after the wedding because of her situation.
According to her doctor, it would be best for her to undergo surgery in which she has to remove her uterus. Despite her doctor’s recommendation, Ms Zhang did not stop hoping to have children with her groom.
She wanted to pick out a more conservative option of hormone therapy. However, despite any method that she goes for, her health condition could still affect her fertility.
Fortunately, both families fully support the couple despite Ms Zhang’s health condition. They are willing to express their full support for her medical treatment and continue having a wedding.
She appreciates how her groom and both of their families express their support to them. Because of everything that happened before the wedding, she admits that their marriage became even more meaningful.
Image Source: iStock
6-Year-Long Battle Against Cancer
Shortly after the wedding, the couple faced Ms Zhang Huifang’s six-year-long battle against cancer. She underwent hormone therapy for a year. Unfortunately, they did not notice any improvement in her health condition.
Her cancer progressed to stage 3, which forced her to push through the operation to remove her uterus. After that, she needed to recover from the surgery for about three years.
Additionally, Ms Zhang Huifang’s meningioma also grew to the size of 4 centimetres at that time. If she did not undergo surgery, there could be a high risk of her getting a stroke.
Indeed, Ms Zhang Huifang is a woman of courage. In July 2021, she went through the second major surgery to remove the tumour. Aside from that, she also needed to undergo chemotherapy, which caused her to lose her hair.
Despite all that happened, she is presently pursuing a master’s degree. Additionally, Ms Zhang Huifang makes use of her experience to be an inspiration to other people.
This article has been republished with the permission of theAsianparent Singapore.
