March 16, 2021
Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.
“Lazada had just celebrated its seventh birthday sales campaign, and everyone was getting ready to wind down, celebrate the results and recharge before our next project. That was when I got the news. March 29, 2019. Breast cancer. All I could think of at that moment was my son, who was only 11 years old at the time.
As a single mum, I am the only parent my son has. I had to fight this disease and be strong for my son. Giving up was never an option. After all, I’m known as the “iron lady” at work. My family rallied around us, offering unwavering support during my treatment and recovery. In fact, visits from my family became so frequent that at one point I had to kick them out just so I could rest! But that’s the best thing about family, right? They are there even when you don’t want them to be, and for that, I am grateful.
The best surprise – and my pride – was my son. He was my biggest supporter, always telling me how strong I was, especially on days when I didn’t feel like that at all. I thought I had to be strong for him, but in fact, it was the other way around.
I am in remission now, and each day is a gift – a gift to spend more time with my family, with my son. I’ve also begun catching up on the latest Korean and Chinese comedy and drama series. They are a great way to destress and also to feed my wanderlust since international travel isn’t as easy as it used to be.
To the women who may be going through what I did, stay positive. We are often stronger than we think but, also, don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability during tough times. The beauty is that during the dark days, we have people stronger than us. Reach out, get coffee, go for a walk with the people you love and who love you. You are not alone in this journey.”
This profile was compiled by Anoushka Bhar from the Lazada PR team in Malaysia.