Gerley Quilala looks like the girl next door, young and chirpy with a fad for colouring her hair. Life took an about-turn for Gerley, when she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, at the age of 25 — three years ago. An examination for appendicitis revealed a tumour 10.3cm in size on her right ovary, which called for surgery within a week to ensure any chance of survival. 



HER ROCK: Gerley with her loving family.

“The tumour was growing so rapidly and was 23.5cm within days. My tummy was as huge as that of a 6-7 months pregnant woman. My family, relatives and closest friends were my strength, through all of this. Death never crossed my mind. I kept telling myself that I needed to finish my treatment as there were lots of things to do — places to visit, food to taste and memories to share. But I will admit, it wasn’t easy, especially for my parents,” says the toughie survivor recalling her experience. Declared completely cancer-free now, Gerley tells Community how she came to terms with the dreaded C.


How did you feel when you were diagnosed with cancer?
When the doctors first told me about the gravity of my illness, the importance of immediate treatment, and the side-effects — especially the difficulty I would face with walking (because of the large surgical wound), my initial reaction was, “Okay. What do we do next?” I accepted the situation even before my treatment began. I thought, “Why should I pull myself down after hearing such bad news? It is just a bad situation, not a bad life, so life must go on.” I wouldn’t deny the fact that I was hurt, but I never questioned why it happened to me. 
In fact, when my Oncologist first told me that I would be undergoing chemotherapy soon, my immediate question was, “My hair will grow back and I can dye it again, right?” My primary concerns at that point were the aftereffects of the surgery and treatment — scars and hair fall. Never did death cross my mind. My family was with me all along, I had all the support and love from the people that mattered the most and I trusted the medical facilities here in Qatar. I was all set for what was coming!


Share with us your experience during treatment:
I think the experience varies depending on each patient and their tolerance to pain. In my case, the entire process happened really fast. Because of the size of my tumour, I underwent several chemotherapy sessions — 7 hours for 5 days with a break of 10 days rest in between. I wasn’t scared and it wasn’t painful but it was really difficult. Although I was pre-medicated before the actual chemotherapy, I still felt nauseous and weak. But with ample rest after five days of chemo I would feel normal.  
Then, there were distressing moments; I remember telling the nurses one day, “I cannot do this anymore. I am really tired.” At that point, I almost gave up — I had 2 polyps rupture in my left ovary and was given morphine for pain relief but I was still suffering acute pain. I really regret saying that, especially as it was in the hearing of my parents; they weren’t giving up on me and yet I said it. 


What was your greatest challenge during this whole experience? 
The greatest challenge I encountered was definitely the physical and emotional stress. I remember looking at my enormous scar — about 8 to 9 inches long and thinking to myself, “Don’t worry about the scar, at least you’re alive.” 
Similarly, when I began losing hair within days of chemotherapy I cried more than I did, when I heard of my condition. I love dying my hair in different colours and now my crowning glory was gone. Just like I dealt my scar, I told myself, “Don’t worry about the hair, if it grows back — great, otherwise it’s alright, at least you’re alive.” 
Initially it was very difficult to look at myself in the mirror and take things in, but slowly I gained the confidence to embrace being bald. Later on, I was proud of being bald as it signified my courage to go through my battle.


How has your outlook to life changed since?
It was a complete turnaround for me. Earlier, I used to be very pre-occupied with all kinds of things and I didn’t take care of myself or spend time with my family. Now, as far as possible, I put my family and my wellness first — everything else is secondary. 
My illness also helped me distinguish my real friends from those who merely wanted an update on my condition — without any real concern. 


What do you consider your greatest achievement?
It would be the last day of my chemotherapy. People normally thank God when they accomplish something great. But I thanked God for the courage He had given my family and me, during those difficult times, and I told myself that I did a great job. That was my greatest achievement because it wasn’t an easy battle. 


What is your word of advice to people going through such life-threatening conditions?
Accept the situation and move forward. Based on my experience, situations are easier to handle if you accept them even before going through them. Cancer should not be feared. Remember: you are larger than the disease. We can never surpass anything if we don’t believe in ourselves and if we don’t have faith and the courage to try. Never doubt your strength; as you emerge stronger, future challenges will appear smaller.


What scares you? 
Earlier I would have said ‘death’, but now, what is left to fear if I was given another chance to enjoy life with my loved ones? Scaring yourself with something will only hinder you from enjoying the present, while destroying what lies ahead.


Tell us your dream: 
Here are the top five from my bucket list of 100 things I desire to do (written during my last chemotherapy session) J
To receive a bouquet of my favourite Pink Peonies
To see a panda (I did — thrice in Hong Kong!)
To attend Taiwanese Singer Hebe Tien’s concert (I did — in Macau!)
To meet South Korean rapper: G-Dragon
I really want to become an inspirational speaker giving hope to people experiencing similar situations, so they don’t give up. 


How would you describe your life right now?
My life is blessed. I have a loving and supporting family, a job and I am doing well on all counts. Sure, it’s not easy most of the time, but challenges make us stronger and I am always up for it. My life is blessed because I was given another chance to enjoy my time with loved ones; not everyone who goes through the same battle makes it. 


Lessons from life: 
You can never be too busy to give yourself and your family time. Most of the time, we say we are ‘too busy’ with work, social events or friends and we neglect spending time with the people whom we leave at home, because we know they will always be there when we return. But what if they’re not? 
We can never be sure what is going to happen. We have to make each day count with the people who matter because they deserve the best from us. Yes, friends are important and sometimes we need time for ourselves and our friends, too, but bear in mind that time spent with others is time lost for the ones who need us more. As we grow older, our parents grow older as well. 


Anything else you would like to add? 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the medical personnel who took care of me and attended to my needs during my treatment and my friends who cheered me. Of course, my family, relatives and extended family have been my greatest inspiration, source of strength and determination; they always believed in me. I longed for a family at 25 years old; I forgot that I had them all along J






Related Story