▲ Ceci suffered from stage 3 breast cancer and spread to the lymph nodes. After recovering, she learned meditation, singing bowls, etc., to adjust her body and mind, and to help her fellow travelers relieve stress.
Having breast cancer, having a breast removed, is like a flaw for a woman. Zhou Junli (Ceci) used to be a workaholic. 19 years ago, she felt a lump in her chest. She was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer, which spread to the lymph nodes. After the surgery and treatment, she still thinks she can’t recover, and she is not a normal woman, and she is always embarrassed when she goes out. After getting to know her fellow travelers, she gradually accepted herself and shared her experiences with others. In recent years, she has also learned audio therapy to soothe the minds of patients through singing bowls.
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From unacceptable to magnanimous
“When the diagnosis is made, it is like a death sentence, as if there is no future!” Before he got cancer, Ceci worked as a secretary in a market research company, working at a fast pace, working overtime every day and even working all night. But she didn’t pay much attention to her body. In early 2003, she felt a lump in her breast and felt pain, so she went to see a doctor. After examination, it was found that there was a malignant tumor in the chest, as big as a wave, and it was diagnosed as stage III breast cancer; and it was found that it had spread to the lymph nodes, and there were two tumors, which required surgery. She mightn’t accept it, and found several other doctors to check and consult their opinions, and finally confirmed the fact of cancer. At that time, Ceci was 36 years old and her son was only 5 or 6 years old. She was worried that she would leave and leave her family behind.
During the treatment, there were many side effects. She vomited from time to time, mightn’t eat, and suffered from bone pain and mightn’t sleep. Soon following finishing the treatment, Ceci had to wear a wig to go out, but what she was most worried regarding was that she was found to be abnormal.
When I went out following recovery, I always felt that I was different from other people. I was no longer an ordinary woman, and I was very worried that others would know that I had breast cancer.
Ceci asked her boss to take a long vacation for medical treatment, and told her not to tell her colleagues why. She was worried that following returning to work, everyone stared at her chest. “The most embarrassing thing is that when someone looks at you, you feel like they are staring at your chest.” Before going out, you need to think carefully regarding what to wear. Sometimes it is too tight. Apart from feeling uncomfortable, she is also afraid of revealing flaws and letting her wear it. Others see clues.
When I’m with my fellow travelers, I find that they don’t mind (appearance), and they can be open and open when they chat. It turns out that others don’t take it seriously, why should I care so much?
Seeing breast cancer patients sharing their feelings and experiences without reservation, Ceci also learned to accept herself and open her heart.
▲ Cancer is a lot of stress, and Ceci has found that there are many ways to help her even when she has a problem. (Photo by Yue Linglong)
Adjust the body and mind to change the course
When it comes to difficult things to adapt to, breast implants (artificial breasts) must be one of them. Ceci said that the position and depth of the wound following surgery vary for each patient, but the breast implant is fixed in a certain size and shape, making it difficult for people to wear and causing trouble. She likes swimming, but she put aside her interest following recovering. It was not until Ivy, a breast cancer survivor and friend, developed an improved breast implant, which might be used with a swimsuit, before she regained the joy of swimming.
Relatives may not understand the pain of the wound, but fellow travelers can understand it. The help and support of fellow travelers, and timely advice, let Ceci know how to go on.
After suffering from cancer, I wondered if I had done something wrong in the decades before, which affected my body but didn’t realize it?
Before getting cancer, Ceci was busy taking care of her family, earning money for housing, working hard for her life, taking care of many things, but neglecting her body. After recovery, she put herself in the front position, taking care of her physical and mental state first. She learned to love herself, and her diet and lifestyle changed dramatically. Since her physical strength was not as good as before, she switched to a part-time job and tried her best to do what she wanted to do and what made her happy in her spare time. She found:
In fact, I have many possibilities, not only to go to work, take care of housework, but also have my own interests.
soothe the mind
Cancer is traumatic. In recent years, Ceci has tried different things and learned many ways to adjust the body and mind, such as audio therapy, mindfulness, and hypnotherapy, which stabilizes emotions and changes the perspective of seeing things. She is grateful to be able to learn methods such as singing bowls and tuning forks to soothe the body and mind. Not only does she “heal” her own mind, but she also hopes to let more people know regarding it, especially breast cancer patients or recovering patients. Since the beginning of 2020, Ceci has stopped working and wanted to do something to help this group of people.
Because of similar ideas and beliefs with their friend Ivy, the two applied for funding from the Social Innovation Fund of the Hong Kong Shandao Society, and founded the “Hui I Chuang” breast cancer support organization to hold workshops for breast cancer fellow travelers to share their experience in fighting the disease and apply what they have learned. , through meditation and other methods to help them adjust their body and mind, relieve stress, and take care of themselves. Through singing bowls and tuning forks, Ceci helped them improve their mood and regain their inner peace; Ivy taught them mindfulness yoga, and taught them to improve breast implants, bust size, and appearance. “These lessons can make fellow travelers open up and love themselves more.”
There are more ways than problems, Ceci believes. After overcoming the difficulties, she wanted to give advice to fellow travelers. She believes that in the face of patients, if their friends are not breast cancer patients, the two sides may not communicate well, and they may not find the information they need on the Internet. Ceci hopes to gather fellow travelers, let everyone talk openly regarding the problems encountered, and provide more solutions.
The rest of my life helps fellow travelers
I didn’t know if there was a future before, I thought it was a dead end. Looking back on the past, although the treatment at that time was difficult, it was actually like a bad cold.
Since recovering, she has accomplished everything she wanted to do, and her son has grown up. She admits that she has no regrets, and she is not afraid to leave at this time.
Now that he is alive, Ceci wants to try his best to help fellow travelers:
I would love to share what we know with other fellow travelers. The road we have traveled may have made her walk more directly and quickly.
▲ Ceci (right) and Ivy (left), a breast cancer survivor and friend, applied for funding from the Social Innovation Fund from the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and Development, and established the “Benefit Me Creation” breast cancer support organization. They use meditation, singing bowls, mindfulness yoga and other methods to help them adjust their body and mind and relieve stress. (Photo by Yue Linglong)
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Reporter: Huang Yongxin
