Breast cancer survivor, Aqela Tuiwainunu says it is our choice as to how we live our lives but we also have to choose to pause and examine ourselves because early detection saves lives.
Tuiwainunu, a Year 13 teacher of Queen Victoria School says she did not notice anything different in herself but her students noticed something was wrong with her in 2018.
She says her students had then told the school nurse to take a look at her and because of the insistence of the nurse, she got tested and it was revealed that she had stage 3 cancer.
The 41-year-old says she was told to begin her treatment immediately but says she felt no pain and the lump was only about the size of a 5 cents coin.
She says in February last year, she went to bed but did not wake up so her colleagues and the Principal took her to the Korovou Hospital and later to the CWM Hospital.
Tuiwainunu says she then underwent chemotherapy and surgery and by June 1st, she was cleared to resume work.
Tuiwainunu says she would not be alive had it not been for the persistent doctors, her students, her family and the Fiji Cancer Society.
Tuiwainunu also paid special tribute to her mother for taking care of her throughout the treatment.
She says she is excited to welcome the boys back in school and prepare them for what the world has in store for them.
