FRANCES YU, Director, Nena’s Sanctuary
Independent Director, Century Pacific Food, Inc. and Shakey’s Pizza Ventures, Inc.
“I learned to value life in a way that I did not before.”
In everything that happens to me, I try to see and be grateful for the obvious, and also the hidden gifts that are contained in all that happens to us. The obvious gifts that we have in life are our family, our friends, our health, our work, etc. But in our trials, there are hidden and beautiful gifts as well, but we need to learn to unwrap the present by going beyond the apparent surface pain. It is in our hardships that we grow the most. It is similar to physical muscles that don’t develop without opposing weight. Suffering and trials build our spiritual muscles. So even in hardships, I’ve learned to be grateful, and to see the hidden treasures they contain.
Cancer strikes at the heart of what many of us cling to: health, looks, security, and money. I learned to cling only to God. It was in this season of my life that God taught me to completely depend on Him. One of the biggest changes in my life since my cancer diagnosis is that I no longer fear death. In fact, most fears that I had are gone. Death is part of our journey through life. It is not an end, but a beginning. Death represents transitioning from life to greater, eternal life. Cancer helped my baby faith mature. My love for God grew. My trust in God grew. My faith in His goodness grew.
One of the surprising challenges is the loss of your hair. I know this may sound shallow, but it represents something beyond vanity. The loss of your hair is like a very public sign of your sickness. It is an external symbol of your interior struggles. It points to the changes in your body, the loss of your health and vitality, the side effects from chemo. Initially, I thought I would be devastated. I prepared for it by buying all kinds of bandanas and even a wig. In the end, I didn’t use the wig as it felt very heavy on my head. But when it happened, I forced myself to step out of the house and resume my normal activities…Then I discovered the most wonderful thing — freedom. I could get ready for my day in 15 minutes without the usual rituals that I would undertake to fix my hair. It also freed me from the trivial concerns about my looks. It was such a liberating experience!
#ICSat25
#SurvivorStories
- “I learned to value life in a way that I did not before.”
- FRANCES YU, Director, Nena’s Sanctuary; Independent Director, Century Pacific Food, Inc. and Shakey’s Pizza Ventures, Inc.
- “I learned to value life in a way that I did not before.”
- FRANCES YU, Director, Nena’s Sanctuary; Independent Director, Century Pacific Food, Inc. and Shakey’s Pizza Ventures, Inc.
- “I learned to value life in a way that I did not before.”
- Learn about breast cancer signs and symptoms: https://www.icanservefoundation.org/about-breast-cancer/
- Download the breast cancer patient manual: https://www.icanservefoundation.org/patients-manual/
Photos by: Patrick Uy
Acknowledgment: Joel’s Place
Icons of Hope is a social media campaign that features cancer survivors who share their own stories, learnings and the lives they now live. It is part of ICANSERVE Foundation’s 25th anniversary celebration in collaboration with Camera Club of the Philippines. With thanks to Owen Santos and Zonia Bandoy.