Think Pink
Three female emissaries for the breast cancer awareness campaign speak up
“ithe sides of my brother and husband who were diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer,” says Wanda Ponika, owner of Wanda House of Jewels. Wanda was determined that both her brother and husband would emerge from their struggles gracefully.
“I never treated them as though they were cancer patients. We all went about our daily activities as much as we could and with enough determination to allow us to get through this period together,” she says. Wanda also believes that one’s spirit and positivity, along with the support of family and friends, are what lead to the road to recovery.
With career-oriented women leading busier and busier lives juggling work and families, many tend to neglect the importance of conducting annual mammograms. Wanda believes that women must make more of an effort on a yearly basis to prevent or detect early symptoms of breast cancer.
“A mammogram takes up only one hour of our lives in one year and the results can be life-saving,” she says. In Indonesia, Yayasan Kanker Payudara Indonesia conducts free mammograms for underprivileged women across the country. Wanda believes that breast cancer, indeed any type of cancer, is curable as long as one’s mindset leads in that direction.
Magda Hutagalung, meanwhile, is the embodiment of a breast cancer survivor who had nothing but one goal in her mind: God will heal me. Last year, Magda was diagnosed with aggressive stage one breast cancer. However, six chemotherapy sessions, one operation, and 28 radiotherapy sessions later, she is now in remission and has never looked and felt better.
“Other than treating myself medically, I was positive that I would be healed and knew God would use me as an example to show his greatness,” shares Magda. The unending support and love she received from her family and close friends also made an impact in the process of her recovery and helped her heal more quickly than expected.
“To all women out there: have your mammograms and ultrasounds at least once a year, develop healthy lifestyles, and, most importantly, be happy!”
A close friend of Magda’s, Raline Shah, is also a breast cancer supporter who has had family members and close friends battle the disease. She echoes what Magda says in believing that a healthy lifestyle, spiritual connections, and undergoing annual mammograms are the ways to prevent or detect the initial stages of the disease.
“There are some known facts about our lifestyles that directly correlate with breast cancer,” says Raline. “Studies show clear connections between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, so a suggestion would be for all women to limit their intake.
Knowing one’s family history of breast and ovarian cancer also aid the process of awareness and detection. A diet filled with fruits and vegetables helps increase levels of antioxidants, which decrease the risk of cancer, she adds. After all, at the end of the day, we are what we eat. Raline also
emphasises the importance of 30-60 minutes of exercise per day.
However, a positive outlook and faith also play a big role in getting through the battle. “Having faith that everything—good and bad—is permissible by the Creator himself makes us better human beings.”
Locally, Raline is a supporter of Yayasan Kanker Payudara Indonesia and helps the organisation partner up with Wanda House of Jewels and Wardah, of which she is an ambassador.
Her international efforts include supporting The Pink Agenda, a non-profit organisation committed to raising funds for breast cancer and which is a branch of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in New York founded by her close Nicole, whose mother, Rosemary Seagriff is a survivor.
“What I’ve learned from being a part of such life-changing organisations and having to see dear people of mine go through such tough times is that there is always a silver lining, or, in this case, a pink lining!” she concludes.