Toronto Star, Ontario ed.
LIFE, 
Monday, November 18, 1996

Feroza Fancy loves a good party. She and her husband Aziz invited 75 people to their silver wedding anniversary celebration a few months ago. Few of those guests could tell their hostess was recovering from breast cancer surgery.

But then Feroza is, by her own account, "an old pro at survival." She had battled and beaten cancer twice before.

Her fight began in 1978, seven years after she and Aziz had moved to Toronto as newlyweds. They'd had a daughter, Sabrina, and a son, Zain.

Feroza, who's now 48, had just turned 30 when "it seemed like everything fell apart. I started feeling constantly tired and blamed the kids and age," she says. Then a lump appeared on the side of her neck, and Feroza learned she had Hodgkins disease.

"When tests confirmed I had cancer, I resented the diagnosis because I thought only old people had cancer," she says.

"I'm curious by nature so I bombarded the doctor with questions. He told me, 'It's a mild form of cancer with a good cure rate.' "

She searched library shelves looking for everything she could find on Hodgkins disease. Only when she knew what she was dealing with did she tell her family.

Aziz, a sales consultant for a car manufacturer, was shattered.

"Feroza has always been the stronger one in the family" he says. "We take our cues from her." But then when he saw how well she was handling the diagnosis, "I decided it will be all right."

Feroza began radiation treatments at Princess Margaret Hospital. "The first few treatments were a breeze," she says. "And then it hit me. I started reacting to the treatment quite violently."

Feroza wanted her mother to come from Pakistan, but there were visa delays. "My sister came from London, and my friends in Canada became my family," she says. "They gave me the support and 
care I needed."

"When tests confirmed I had cancer, I resented the diagnosis because I thought only old people had cancer," she says.

"I'm curious by nature so I bombarded the doctor with questions. He told me, 'It's a mild form of cancer with a good cure rate.' "

She searched library shelves looking for everything she could find on Hodgkins disease. Only when she knew what she was dealing with did she tell her family.

Aziz, a sales consultant for a car manufacturer, was shattered.

"Feroza has always been the stronger one in the family" he says. "We take our cues from her." But then when he saw how well she was handling the diagnosis, "I decided it will be all right."

Feroza began radiation treatments at Princess Margaret Hospital. "The first few treatments were a breeze," she says. "And then it hit me. I started reacting to the treatment quite violently."

Feroza wanted her mother to come from Pakistan, but there were visa delays. "My sister came from London, and my friends in Canada became my family," she says. "They gave me the support 
and care I needed."

For two weeks Feroza was hospitalized in the children's ward of Princess Margaret because there wasn't enough space in the regular ward.

"This is when I started to truly value life and I thanked God that it was me who was there, and not my children. At that time, I decided that I'll savor every moment of life."

Feroza's cancer went into remission, but within a year of that first diagnosis, she fell sick again. The family had taken a trip to Disneyland, and Feroza developed a fever that wouldn't go away.

Back in Toronto, she found the cancer had spread to her bone marrow, liver and lymph node.

"I was scared," she says. "The first time, my chances of recovery were 85 per cent; this time they were 50 per cent. But I told myself no matter what the odds, I'll beat it."

Feroza needed chemotherapy , and again she insisted on learning everything she could about it. The doctors "got so fed up they told the interns, 'Give her any information she wants because she probably knows more about the disease than you do' " says Feroza.

"For me, knowledge about the disease is half the cure."

This was a rough time for Feroza, who was weak and needed blood transfusions.

"What kept me going? My faith, and support from family and friends," she says. Her mother had finally arrived from Pakistan. "This was a blessing because she took over the house and my kids," says Feroza. "My friends brought in so much food that we didn't have to cook for a month."

The chemotherapy she went through this time was intense, and a bout of pneumonia added extra months to the treatment.

Doctors had warned Feroza about chemotherapy's possible side effects, including sterility. "That didn't faze me because my family was complete," she says. "But I was terrified of losing my hair. I prepared myself with scarves and wigs and told the kids to be ready for a bald mother. And you know something? I didn't lose my hair."

Gradually, Feroza began regaining her strength and health. The family moved out of their big house and into an easily-managed Mississauga apartment in 1981. Life went on more or less as normal.

Then in 1984, internal problems that she thought were the result of chemotherapy sent her back to her doctor. She found out 
she was pregnant.

"For me, knowledge about the disease is half the cure."

This was a rough time for Feroza, who was weak and needed blood transfusions.

"What kept me going? My faith, and support from family and friends," she says. Her mother had finally arrived from Pakistan. "This was a blessing because she took over the house and my kids," says Feroza. "My friends brought in so much food that we didn't have to cook for a month."

The chemotherapy she went through this time was intense, and a bout of pneumonia added extra months to the treatment.

Doctors had warned Feroza about chemotherapy's possible side effects, including sterility. "That didn't faze me because my family was complete," she says. "But I was terrified of losing my hair. I prepared myself with scarves and wigs and told the kids to be ready for a bald mother. And you know something? I didn't lose my hair."

Gradually, Feroza began regaining her strength and health. The family moved out of their big house and into an easily-managed Mississauga apartment in 1981. Life went on more or less as normal.

Then in 1984, internal problems that she thought were the result of chemotherapy sent her back to her doctor. She found out 
she was pregnant.

"My first reaction," she recalls, "was that I didn't want any more children, especially if my system was harmed by radiation and chemotherapy. The doctor assured me I was not affected, and for a while I toyed with the idea of abortion. Then my faith took over and I accepted that life and death are in God's hands - what goes in between we have to bear with trust and faith in the Almighty.

"On one visit the doctor told me, 'There's something funny on your ultrasound.' It might have been funny for him, but when he told me I was carrying twins, I didn't find it funny at all!"

Healthy sons Mikail and Taimur were born in May, 1985, and life returned to "as normal as it can get with twins," laughs Feroza. "I had eight years of a healthy, happy life where I attended parties galore."

She says she found fulfilment by joining CANSURMOUNT, an organization of volunteer cancer survivors. "It was very therapeutic for me because I believed I was totally healthy and wanted to help other survivors."

But in September, 1995, Feroza found a lump in her breast. She had a biopsy done right away, which confirmed her suspicion she had breast cancer. Previous radiation treatments led to complications with the biopsy incision, and eventually she had a modified radical mastectomy. And there was more chemotherapy.

"I was so paranoid about the chemo, with memories of my previous treatments, that I would start getting nauseous at the sight of the hospital," she says. However a new anti-nausea drug and other advances in treatment helped her avoid side effects and made her recovery easier.

Feroza admits she asked herself, "Why me again? I felt cheated because I've paid my dues," she says. "But what can you do except cope. I know that my family looks to me for support so if I break down, what will they do?"

These days, Feroza finds herself accepting the counsel of people she once counselled through CANSURMOUNT.

"I've learned that life is short and very sweet, so I take it one day at a time. And with wonderful people around me, I know I can survive anything."

at incentive to work in my field again," says Tahir Rafay, director of that division.

"My father's been a great asset bringing experience in medicine and staffing," says Rafay. "He's helped recruit over 100 people and (set up) a booth at the University of Toronto job fair. Since he's joined me, business has boomed.

"Within six months I had a revenue of over a quarter-million." She's now reached the $1 million mark.

But again her youth proved to be an impediment when she applied for the $30,000 line of credit from the bank. "It was tough to get a credit line because I'm young and I don't own anything," she says. "I had to be very convincing, bring testimonials from previous clients, get supporting paperwork and also had to use the Maclean's article to get credit."

She cites competitive rates as one reason for her success. "Most companies have a placement fee of about 15 to 20 per cent- I have a lower rate for the same service, and am always open to discussion with my clients," she explains.'When I walk into an office and they see a young woman, it's like two strikes against me. One vice-president asked me which company I was the representative for ... his face changed colour when I told him I was owner'

Copyright © 1996 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.

Scholar and Peacemaker