When Your Mother has Breast Cancer

Dorothy: [00:00:00] Hi, I’m Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and co founder of The Rose Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. And this mini episode was recorded at Hats and Henna High Tea. So today we’re talking to Fatima and Isa Moosa. And they’re going to share with us what they learned during their mom’s breast cancer journey.

Let’s talk about your breast. A different kind of podcast presented to you by The Rose. The Breast Center of Excellence and a Texas treasure. You’re going to hear frank discussions about tough topics. And you’re going to learn why knowing about your breast could save your life. Join us as we hear another story and we answer those tough questions that you may have.

Fatima: My name is Fatima Khanani-Moosa. I am Ashma’s [00:01:00] daughter.

Isa: My name is Isa Khanani-Moosa. I am the son of Ashma Kanani Musa.

Fatima: Obviously cancer has a very soft spot in my heart and I wanted to do anything I could to reach cancer patients and so I had this opportunity. A long time family friend actually owns a clinical research center and since it’s a phase one clinical research, they do a lot of cancer research for people who are at their end stages of life.

And so, a lot of that is very rewarding and very giving. I do see a lot of cancer patients that come in and they’re receiving this new course of treatment that could potentially help future people who are, um, going through the same cancer as them. And when they have no other option, this is the perfect option for them so that they have a little bit of hope.

Dorothy: What have you learned from your mother’s cancer journey ?

Fatima: I think it has really tested my empathy now more than ever. I’m a very emotional person, but being strong for someone is actually, to me, more important in those situations. Yes, it’s good to cry and empathize with somebody, [00:02:00] but being someone’s Strong person who can be there to joke with them during these hard times and just lighten up the moment is really what I’ve learned actually.

It’s like not everything is so serious, not everything is so sad, but, um, looking at the lighter things in life and like what, what stories we have already experienced and, um, the positives when it comes to that.

Isa: Never carry the sadness that they have. Try to always be uplifting. Um, try to always lighten the mood.

Um, even if you crack a joke there and there, um, during serious times, it always will be remembered and thought of as you getting through those hard times.

Dorothy: Why is it so important to have lighthearted moments or times that are full of laughter when fighting cancer?

Fatima: You can really take these, um, hardships in your life as something that you’re going to remember forever and kind of like have a pity me moment for the rest of your life, or you can take [00:03:00] it And grow from it and implement it into your life and help future people.

And I feel that is like one of the biggest learning curves for me. Um, it’s really easy to sit there and wallow and think about what you have been through and how hard it’s been and how hard it may be or it’s gonna be in the future. But ultimately, how I’m able to manipulate that and implementing it in everyday life and just like dealing with hardships but in a more, um, intricate way of like, the way that you used those other healing powers.

But. Using that in your real life and, um, just being able to convey that in the two is. Kind of crazy because I feel like a lot of people don’t have that experience of having that hardship. And so sometimes you need those hardships to be more wise and make those decisions. And the hardships do have a little bit of positivity in it as well.

Dorothy: So that wraps it up for today. And don’t forget, we’re doing a episode every single day. You’re gonna get your daily dose of, let’s talk about your breasts during the month of October.

Post-Credits: October is the month of pink. [00:04:00] And for The Rose, a breast center of excellence. That means we’ll be airing podcasts every day in October to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

We’ll be sharing everything from men who have had breast cancer to what happens when you are pregnant and diagnosed with cancer. Be sure to share with family and friends because there’s a little something for everyone. To find out ways to help The Rose, visit our website at therose.org. Remember, self care is not selfish, it’s essential.