A stage four breast cancer patient five years later

 A stage four breast cancer patient five years later 
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Today in the outpatient clinic, I saw a familiar patient.

She has stage IV breast cancer.

The first time I saw her,

she was holding a tiny baby girl in her arms.

The little girl was only three months old then.

So small, nestled in her mother's arms,

even her cries were still so innocent.

That day, the mother listened to me explain the patient's condition while looking down at her child.

She didn't ask me many questions.

She only asked one:

"Dr. Jiang, can I be there to watch her grow up?"

Honestly, stage IV breast cancer

sounds terrifying.

But breast cancer treatment now is truly different from before.

There's targeted therapy.

There's hormone therapy.

There's chemotherapy.

There's immunotherapy.

And there are more and more new drugs.

With enough willingness to treat,

many cases of stage IV breast cancer can be controlled for a very, very long time.

Today, she came back for her follow-up appointment.

Only this time,

the little girl who was once held in her arms was walking into the examination room on her own.

She's five years old.

Holding her mother's hand,

she walked along, looking around curiously,

and even greeted me confidently.

Looking at her, I was suddenly moved.

It turns out that these past few years,

we haven't just been controlling the tumor.

We've also been helping a mother,

spending one more day with her child, one more day, and another.

Stage IV breast cancer is not an easy road.

There will be fear, there will be hardship, there will be setbacks,

these are all real.

But please don't give up on yourself too soon.

Because you think you're just holding on for one more day,

but for your child,

that day might be the first time she calls you "Mom."

Her first day of school.

The first time she draws a picture for you.

The first time she holds your hand and walks you into the clinic.

I often tell my patients,

we can't guarantee miracles.

But we can work together,

to turn every day into a gift.

I hope that one day,

this little girl will grow up,

wearing a white dress, standing at the other end of the red carpet.

Dad and Mom held her hands together,

and slowly walked her towards the groom.

Then Mom could smile and say to me:

"Dr. Jiang, look, she's grown up."

Stage 4 breast cancer,

is not the end of life.

As long as you're willing,

we'll walk together.

Walking until our child grows up.

Walking until more hope emerges.

Walking until the day you want to see it.