13/03/2023
“You never think it will happen to you, until it does. That was me in 2021, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. That’s when I truly realised how precious life is. After the initial flurry of emotions and fear, I decided the illness wasn’t going to beat me – I was going to beat it. I’m unbelievably fortunate to have access to excellent healthcare and a strong support system in my family and friends at work.
After my recovery, one of the best feelings for me was being able to go back to work, back to normality.
During my treatment, I noticed most of the nurses were women. Perhaps we are drawn to the role more than men because women are stereotyped as caring and nurturing, so we tend to fit the mould created by society. I’m optimistic for the future of women in my country. Under the leadership of our current king, the country’s 2030 vision for progress and development means greater initiatives being implemented.
In fact, I am a testament to the positive change happening across Saudi Arabia. I was granted a government scholarship to study abroad in Ottawa, Canada. During my five years there, I became much more independent and strong. For a girl born and raised in Jeddah city, being immersed into a completely new culture pushed me to dream bigger and turn those dreams into a reality.
Writing this has made me realise that we don’t stop and recognise how proud we are of everything we’ve overcome, especially as women – we just keep going. Well, I’m super proud of me.”
It hasn’t been easy for Samar Bahubayshi, Assistant Manager, Systems Analyst, . Not long after losing her father she battled breast cancer, but here she explains why she’s full of positivity for the future of women in her country and for her new venture as a life coach.
Read Samar’s story over on our Newsroom- link in bio.