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Basmah inspired her friends to book breast cancer screening appointments after a mammogram and biopsy confirmed she had the disease. Now, after beating breast cancer, she is urging other women to embrace screening. Her name has been changed to protect her identity.
When Basmah shared the results of her mammogram with her friends, they were shocked. “They told me it was like I turned on a lamp in their brains,” she recalls.
Her mammogram — an X-ray of the breasts that checks for cancer — had detected the presence of the disease. Soon after, her breast cancer diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy — laboratory testing of a sample of her breast tissue.
It was a moment in time that would have life-changing consequences not only for Basmah, but for her friends and family, too.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Saudi Arabia, with around 3,800 new cases recorded per year, according to the latest data from the Global Cancer Observatory. Breast cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers reported in the Kingdom, at 8.5%, research shows.
Early detection of breast cancer is the key to successfully treating the disease and improving long-term survival. Detecting breast cancer early gives a patient an almost 99% chance of being cured and reduces the likelihood of death by nearly 40%, research suggests.
This is why Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH) advocates for breast self-awareness and urges all women aged between 40 and 74 years old to have a mammogram every year. Earlier this year, JHAH introduced two advanced breast imaging technologies to expand its screening and diagnostic capabilities.
“When my friends heard about my test results, they immediately booked screening appointments,” says Basmah, 44, who had no history of breast cancer in her family. “Thanks to God, each and every one of them received the all-clear. But they return every year for screening.”
Basmah’s experience also inspired her to bring her mother to JHAH for breast cancer screening.
She was at another hospital, so I transferred her to JHAH and asked the doctors to conduct a screening, because we were concerned about the results of an earlier mammogram. At JHAH, she was immediately booked in for an ultrasound, mammogram, and biopsy — and thankfully, the results came back negative.
For Basmah, though, her journey with breast cancer was just beginning. She was referred to Dr. Osama Halaweh, a consultant medical oncologist and hematologist at JHAH.
“Dr. Osama explained everything to me,” Basmah recalls. “He said I was toward the end of stage two of cancer, nearing stage three. I was very afraid, but he was incredibly supportive.
He set out my treatment plan, and in October 2023, I started chemotherapy. I remember my first session so well — I was quite upset, but all the staff there were so nice; so gentle and supportive. It calmed me down, and from then on, I could focus on getting better.
After about six months of chemotherapy, Basmah underwent a lumpectomy— a removal of part of the breast — followed by radiation therapy. Then she was given the all-clear. Now she takes a tablet every day and has an injection at an outpatient clinic every three months. “Now I feel well,” she says. “I’m in good health.”
Basmah, a mother to two teenage boys, says her battle with breast cancer was “challenging and painful” but “guided by faith and crowned with hope.”
“The moment I rang the bell on breast cancer marked not only the end of a difficult chapter for me, but also the beginning of a renewed and beautiful life. Today, I see myself as a stronger person, more appreciative of every blessing God has granted me.
I am lucky I caught my breast cancer when I did, and I give thanks for receiving five-star treatment at JHAH. They embraced me with compassion, eased my fears, and stood by me with genuine care. I am especially grateful to Dr. Osama, whose dedication and close follow-up made me feel as though I was under the care of a family member.
Basmah says that every woman should check themselves regularly for signs of breast cancer and book a screening should they ever feel a lump or believe that something is wrong.
“I only hope my experience inspires other women to appreciate just how important screening is, and to book an appointment if they need one — just like my friends did,” she says. “After all, it could save your life.”