womanthismonth.com | OCTOBER 2026 STORIES OF STRENGTH 88 Still Me STORIES OF STRENGTH Zainab Abudeeb’s breast cancer diagnosis challenged the very fabric of the life she had always known. She shares how she held on to herself through an experience that tested her in ways she could never have anticipated. Hearing the word “cancer” made everything around me feel different. At that moment, my life seemed to divide into “before” and “after”. I had so many questions and so much fear. I did not know how strong I could be until I had no choice but to keep going. I underwent surgery first, followed by chemotherapy. There were days when I was exhausted before the day had even begun. I lost my hair, my energy and, at times, my appetite, along with many things I had once taken for granted. My body changed. My face changed. Sometimes, I would look in the mirror and not recognise the woman looking back at me. But I kept reminding myself: I am still Zainab. I did not want cancer to become my whole identity. I was still a mother, a wife, a daughter, a working woman and someone with dreams and plans. During treatment, I tried to continue with my life as much as I could. I worked, created content, kept up with my children, laughed when I could and cried when I needed to. I kept telling myself that this chapter would not last forever. After chemotherapy came radiotherapy. By then, I was tired, but I knew I was getting closer to the finish line. Completing radiotherapy and ringing the bell was one of the most emotional moments for me. For me, that bell carried every difficult morning, every hospital visit, every tear and every prayer, along with the moments when I thought I could not continue but somehow did. Even after the main treatment finished, my experience with cancer did not end. I continued with hormonal and targeted treatment. Some days still bring fatigue, hot flushes, joint pain and mood changes. At times, I feel as though my body has aged faster than I have. Recovery is not always a straight line, and I am still learning to live in this new version of my body. Cancer changed me. I became calmer and began judging people less because I learnt that anyone could be carrying a struggle we cannot see. I stopped expecting everything to go according to plan. Zainab Sometimes, life changes the plan completely and we have to learn to walk a different road. Today, I do not want cancer to define me. It is part of my story, but it is not the whole story. My message to every woman going through a difficult chapter is this: it does not define who you are. Take life one day at a time and be gentle with yourself. Keep your faith strong, keep your eyes on the finish line and take care of yourself, not only for the people you love but because you deserve that love and care too.
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