How to deal with a cancer diagnosis: focus on treatment options, stay positive, doctor says; survivor advises asking questions and letting emotions out
- Hong Kong resident Chang Hsiu-yun was shocked and afraid when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. ‘My mind went blank,’ she says
- Ahead of World Cancer Day on February 4, she gives her advice on how to not feel overwhelmed, while a doctor explains how he guides his patients
When Chang Hsiu-yun was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2022, she was “shocked” and “afraid”.
“My mind went blank when the doctor broke the news to me. When reality set in, I thought, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ and ‘How will my cancer treatment work?’” says Chang, who was 51 at the time.
The silver lining for Chang was that the cancer was in situ, which means that the cancer cells were confined to just one area and had not yet spread into the surrounding breast tissue. This early-stage cancer is treatable and has high survival rates.
Doctors advised her not to worry, but she did. Her husband and two adult sons were also shocked by her diagnosis. The following months were especially difficult for the family as Chang underwent treatment.
She had a vacuum-assisted biopsy on her left breast. For this, the doctor used a special hollow needle attached to a vacuum device to remove breast tissue through a small cut in the skin.
“The wound took a long time to heal and my left breast swelled to double its size,” says Chang, who was born in Taiwan and has lived in Hong Kong for 22 years.