Feroza calls herself "an old pro at survival".  This is her third win in an ongoing battle against cancer.  "I can fight it" she says and she has come out the winner one more time.

Married in 1971, Fancy migrated to Canada as a new bride. She had a daughter, Sabrina, who is now 23 and a son, Zain who is 20.   "Then I turned 30 and it seemed like everything fell apart. I started remaining tired and blamed the kids and age!"

In 1978, Fancy was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease. "I found a lump on the side of my neck and  was convinced it's Tuberculosis. When tests confirmed I had cancer, I resented the diagnosis because I thought only old people had cancer.  I'm  curious by nature so I bombarded the doctor with questions, but all he told me was "it's a mild form of cancer with a good cure rate".  I wasn't satisfied so I went to the library and picked up every book I could find on Hodgkins disease.  Then I called a doctor friend, and once I knew everything there is to know about Hodgkins, I then informed my family."

Aziz, Feroza's husband,  who is a Sales Consultant for Chrysler, was initially shattered.  "Feroza has always been the stronger one in the family" he confesses.  "We take our cues from her, so when I saw how well she's handling the diagnosis, I decided it will be alright." 

Later tests disclosed that Feroza was in stage one of the cancer so she started going to Princess Margaret Hospital for radiation.  "The first few treatments were a breeze and then it hit me.  I started reacting to the treatment quite violently. One day I coughed up blood and they discovered that my esophagus was burnt and dried due to the radiation. I couldn't even swallow my saliva."

Feroza, who has no immediate family here, tried to send for the mother from Pakistan but there were delays in getting a visa. "My sister came from London and friends here became my family.  They gave me the support and care I needed. I was hospitalized for two weeks 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 savour every moment of life."

Feroza's attitude obviously helped her recovery.  "She has never been one to overplay her ailments" says Aziz.  "She recuperated and we were told that if she stays in remission, then she is cured. But I noticed that although she tried very hard, she remained tired and listless all the time."

In 1978 The Fancy family went to Disneyland and Feroza started running a constant fever. On her return to Toronto, she went for tests and found, to her horror that cancer had spread to her bone marrow, liver and lymph nodes.  "I was in total denial this time and convinced that I had malaria" says Feroza.  "I was scared because the first time, my chances of recovery were 85%, this time they were 50%.  But I told myself 'I'll beat it'."

Feroza needed chemotherapy. "I wanted to know everything about chemotherapy and gave the doctors a hard time.  The doctor got so fed up, he told his intern 'give her any information she wants because she probably knows more about the disease than you do'.  But I had to do this. My doctor friends gave me brochures and literature and educated me."

This was a rough time for Feroza.  She was weak and needed blood transfusions.  "Two things kept me going - my faith and support from family and friends. My mother finally got a visa and came to Toronto. This was a blessing because she took over the house and my kids.   My friends brought in so much food that we didn't have to cook for a month."  Still Feroza underwent heavy chemotherapy which had to be extended two months because she caught pneumonia.  She still recalls some of her main fears.

"Doctors warned me about side effects. The thought of sterility didn't faze me because my family was complete but I was terrified of losing my hair. And you know something?  I didn't lose my hair although I prepared myself with scarves and wigs and told the kids to be ready for a bald mother." 

In 1981 the Family moved into a apartment in Mississauga because Feroza could not manage a large house.  For a couple of years things returned to normal and Feroza started regaining  her strength and sanity. In 1984, Feroza recalls having some internal problems. "I thought it was the result of the chemotherapy but when I went to the doctor I found I was pregnant.  My first reaction was that I did not want any more children specially if my system is harmed by radiation and chemotherapy. The doctor assured me that I was not affected by my previous treatment 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.   Once again, I hit the library and read everything I could get my hands on and after I was convinced that my system is clean, I accepted my pregnancy as an act of God."

This was a rough time for Feroza.  She was weak and needed blood transfusions.  "Two things kept me going - my faith and support from family and friends. My mother finally got a visa and came to Toronto. This was a blessing because she took over the house and my kids.   My friends brought in so much food that we didn't have to cook for a month."  Still Feroza underwent heavy chemotherapy which had to be extended two months because she caught pneumonia.  She still recalls some of her main fears.

"Doctors warned me about side effects. The thought of sterility didn't faze me because my family was complete but I was terrified of losing my hair. And you know something?  I didn't lose my hair although I prepared myself with scarves and wigs and told the kids to be ready for a bald mother." 

In 1981 the Family moved into a apartment in Mississauga because Feroza could not manage a large house.  For a couple of years things returned to normal and Feroza started regaining  her strength and sanity. In 1984, Feroza recalls having some internal problems. "I thought it was the result of the chemotherapy but when I went to the doctor I found I was pregnant.  My first reaction was that I did not want any more children specially if my system is harmed by radiation and chemotherapy. The doctor assured me that I was not affected by my previous treatment 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.   Once again, I hit the library and read everything I could get my hands on and after I was convinced that my system is clean, I accepted my pregnancy as an act of God."

The true test was yet to come.  "One visit the doctor told  me, 'there is something funny on your ultrasound'.  It might have been funny for him, but when he told me I'm carrying twins for sure, I didn't find it funny at all."  Once again, Feroza's will power came to her aid.  She accepted this as her fate and on May 10, 1985 she gave birth to two healthy boys who she named Mikail and Taimur, both 11 now.

After the twins, life went back to normal.  "As normal as it can get with twins", laughs Feroza. "I had eight years of a healthy happy life where I attended parties galore. I found fulfillment by joining CANSURMOUNT, an organization of volunteer cancer survivors.  It was very therapeutic for me because I believed I was totally healthy"

In September 1995, Feroza  found a lump in her breast.  "I had missed one routine mammogram, and I suspected what this might be so I immediately went for a biopsy.  I was optimistic that if it's only in my breast, I'll survive and that's what I've always done best - survive."  The diagnosis was beast cancer.  Feroza did her round of the library, her doctor friends gave her new material to read and absorb and she took this in stride as she always took her other ailments. Friends and family  offered support and this time, many prayer sessions  were held.

Feroza truly believes the prayers worked because she came through in flying colours.  But she has one complaint.  "I feel cheated because I've paid my dues.  I did question, "why me again?  But what can you do except cope and now I have four kids to think about.  I know that my family looks at me for support so if I break down, what will they do. So, I coped".

Due to previous radiation, the first incision for the biopsy became a gaping open wound that took three months to heal.  But Feroza had no choice but to undergo a radical mastectomy.  Her zest for life is such that on the day she returned home from surgery, she went to a dinner party.  "I don't know how or why, but I didn't feel any pain and I recovered fast. "  There was more chemotherapy but fewer side effects.  "The surgery was fine but I was so paranoid abut the chemo with memories of my previous treatments, that I would start getting nauseous at the sight of the hospital.  But there is a new anti-nausea wonder drug out and with technology advancements, I had no side effects so recovery was easy."

Feroza suddenly finds herself on the other side of the fence. People she used to counsel, now come to her aid and counsel her.  "I've learnt 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."

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