Cancer Isn’t A Good Thing, But It Gave Nani Something She Didn’t Expect

Another glance at the clock. It’s 3PM. 

Nani Juwita finally heard her number called out. She had been in the waiting room since six in the morning.

This was her final session of radiation therapy—the last of 15 over three weeks. 

The 50-year-old, who is married and a long-term visit pass holder in Singapore, had returned to Indonesia on her own in April 2026 to seek treatment for breast cancer. Each day, Nani waited for around eight hours to receive treatment that typically takes 30 minutes. During the wait, she saw cancer patients as young as teenagers, and even infants. She often spoke with other patients, exchanging stories and words of hope.

“The skin around the [cancerous] area turned black. It was painful and hot in my body,” Nani recounted her treatment experience. “But I didn’t feel anything else. In some ways, I am lucky because my cancer was detected early.”

In early 2025, Nani found a lump on the left side of her chest after waking up in bed. It did not hurt, but she decided to get it checked as a precaution. 

“I feel like not many people are aware of cancer. They think they are okay and avoid going to the doctor until they get very sick. By then, it might be too late.”

The lump turned out to be normal fatty tissue, but the scan detected another miniscule growth just behind it. Further tests led to a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer.

It took Nani almost a year before she underwent surgery to remove the cancerous growth. She was afraid of going under the knife, and even went to Malaysia to look for a second opinion and explore other treatment options. After coming to terms that surgery in Singapore was her best option, the date was quickly fixed, and she spent Christmas Day fasting in a hospital ward to prepare for the procedure next morning.

The surgery was successful, and Nani was discharged on the same day. Yet she once more took time to assess her options for post-surgery treatment, although the doctor’s recommendation was to start as soon as possible, and not more than a month or two.

“Looking back, I think I was in denial,” she laughed. “But I want to get better!”

Her oncologist eventually wrote a letter detailing her progress and treatment plan, to assist in ensuring that her treatment process in Indonesia is as smooth and seamless as possible.

Some might find going to another country for weeks of cancer treatment alone quite an ordeal, but Nani did not. She maintained good spirits in spite of the waiting times, and took the stay as an opportunity to catch up with family and old friends. When asked how she was supported in her battle against cancer while in Indonesia, Nani said, “We don’t talk about it. Not because it’s taboo, but to them, I’m not any different from before.”

While she still experiences lingering pain in her body and has difficulty raising her left arm, she counts her blessings. Having been given the all-clear in her follow-up reviews to date, her next meeting with the oncologist is scheduled only a year later.

Her husband has been her biggest rock. Despite being occupied with running his own business in the construction sector, he made sure to be present and support Nani in every way he could.

Nani and her husband.

This made the emotional and financial costs of cancer much more manageable. She has since also returned to help out at her husband’s company, at a lighter pace and workload.

Some things change, and some things do not.

Now back in Singapore, Nani has again found herself sitting in a room surrounded by others impacted by cancer. This time, however, she is taking part in community activities as a member of Reach to Recovery, a breast cancer support group hosted by Singapore Cancer Society. The activities include talks, sharing sessions, singing, and exercise classes, keeping the members physically active and socially engaged.

Throughout her cancer journey, Nani carried unwavering optimism that kept her spirits up and opened her to new experiences and possibilities. Reflecting on how her life changed from cancer, she mused, “Recovery is slow, but I have a lot of new friends. I have a community now.”