Dubai: A Filipina expat says she has no words to thank charitable organisations in the UAE who sponsored her treatment for a rare type of cancer and breast reconstructive surgery.
“They have given me a new life. I cannot thank them enough. I was utterly shocked and devastated when I first came to know about the cancer. We don’t have a family history of this illness,” Ressurecion Dela Cruz told XPRESS.
“I had no money and I was so depressed that I felt I might be just left to die,” said the 47-year-old woman, who worked as an accountant in Dubai.
Dela Cruz, who was widowed last year and has three kids to support, was diagnosed with Paget’s disease of the breast, which is a rare type of cancer involving the skin.
The treatment was expensive and she did not know who to turn to for help. That’s when some friends suggested that she contact Breast Cancer Arabia.
“Our medical team assessed her and found that her condition was pretty serious. She did not have enough money for the treatment so we decided to support her,” said Elizabeth Reyes, founder of Breast Cancer Arabia said. The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, Dubai also pitched in by doing a free breast reconstructive surgery in November.
“Those were the most depressing days of my life. I was not sure if I would live or not. I did not know how to accept myself after my breast tissue was removed. But now I’m happy to have survived. I am looking to start working soon,” Dela Cruz said.
