Diagnosis: Colon cancer

On the twenty first of March, 2003, Khadijah, age 57, was diagnosed with colon cancer. She says she continuously complained of pain in her lower abdomen for an entire month, in addition to severe constipation in spite of the diverse foods she consumed. These symptoms prompted her to visit a private obstetrical hospital. There, it was decided she would undergo surgery to remove a cyst from her ovaries. Half an hour before the surgery, her physician informed her there was a tumor in her uterus and that he would remove her ovaries and uterus. She had no choice but to agree.

A week after her surgery, the pain persisted. Upon visiting the physician who operated on her, she was advised her to visit an internist. The internist referred her to a private hospital in Jordan, where she was finally diagnosed with cancer. The news of her diagnosis came as a great surprise to Khadijah. 

Khadijah went to the King Hussein Cancer Center, in severe shock and desperation after discovering she had cancer. She says: “I felt alone, weak and scared. My husband is deceased and my family did not know anything about it. I was completely devastated psychologically, but the humanitarian manner in which I was treated by the doctors and the nurses at the Center relieved me and helped to reduce my anxiety.” After her first visit to the Center, Khadijah regained her strength, pulled herself back together and placed her trust in God. Her doctors were reassuring and she felt she had a great chance at recovery.

Khadijah’s journey to overcome her cancer started at KHCC, where she underwent surgery to remove the tumor in her colon, 8 months after taking her first dose of chemotherapy. She then left to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform umra.

Khadijah says: “now my whole lifestyle has changed completely. I follow a healthier diet, I steer clear of places full of cigarette smoke and I’ve started to exercise. In spite of the disease, the psychological and physical suffering, my faith in God has increased. I maintain my will and strength, because of the psychological and moral support from my family, my doctors and the nurses who were focused on my wellbeing throughout my stay at the Center.”