By staff reporter ZHANG JUAN

Career women playing multiple roles: daughter, wife, mother, colleague and friend, they handle work and life pressures and enjoy life to the full.

Suddenly one day, their lives change. They become patients, are identified with their case history rather than business card. Facing death, three women pool their courage, wisdom and tenacity.

Jia Cuixia (first left) with her father on his birthday.

Cherish Each Phase of Life

"I think women are capable of enormous endurance. In face of a serious disease, they still put their parents, family and children first: Can they manage without my care? Is there anything more that I can do for them? As a woman, I cannot choose to escape. I have the attributes of all other women, despite disease. With this in mind, I go on."

-- Jia Cuixia

Jia Cuixia, 46, has a diplomat father and husband. Her job involves Chinese and foreign cultural exchanges. When in France with her husband in 2001, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Others consider you a resilient person. Is this because the doctor has told you that being tough will aid your treatment and recovery?

Jia: I'm optimistic by nature. After I was diagnosed with cancer, the Chinese Ambassador to France, Zhao Jinjun came to visit me. He told me not to burden my mind with the disease too much and exhorted me to work up my pluck to conquer the disease. He looked so grave I laughed and found myself reassuring him.

Was there a choice at that time whether or not to have your breast removed?

Jia: No. The lymph node had cancerous cells, which meant that cancer cells might exist in any part of my body. The doctor said that my case, where cancer cells do not respond to medication, is rare. It might work for a few days, but then a change of treatment is needed. Each time the doctor warns me that new treatment might not work on me and that we might need to try something else. I have gotten used to the situation. I now tell my doctor to warn me only if a medicine is likely to be effective so that my weak heart can handle the happy surprise.

Do you think about death?

Jia: How can a cancer patient not think about death? The desire to live becomes stronger when death approaches. In my case, I'm not afraid of death, but there are many things I cannot give up easily.

As a parent, is your son the biggest worry?

Jia: I have confidence in my son. He is 20 and has grown to be an independent person in terms of thinking and behavior. My family and friends consider him to be more mature than his peers, so I don't worry about him.

My greatest worry is my parents. I should be performing my filial duty of making them happy in their old age. As my condition precludes that, all I can do is pretend to be happy and fine in front of them.

How has your husband handled your sickness?

Jia: Having been married for more than 20 years, we cherish every remaining minute of our life together. It takes time to establish an ideal family relationship and I think my husband and I have reached this stage. I'm satisfied with our marriage, and believe I have done every thing I can to support him in his career. In this respect, I've nothing to regret.

At home, Ye Danyang conscientiously performs her role as a mother.

A Special Documentary

"Other than doing one's job, few people have the chance in a lifetime to do something special for society. Today I have such a chance, and will use it to the utmost extent."

-- Ye Danyang

Ye Danyang was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2002 and had part of a breast removed. A documentary filmmaker, she has recorded her experience in a film called The Story of Breasts.

Why did you make The Story of Breasts?

Ye: My cancer developed from ordinary mammary hyperplasia. My ignorance and conventional values made me reluctant to have a male doctor check my breasts, and failure to have an operation at the early stage led to cancer. A modern woman working in the media, I nevertheless did not realize the importance of caring for my body.

Breast cancer can be avoided. As a media person, it is my responsibility to report what I see and experience. Making a documentary was an idea that came to me the second day after my operation.

Why did you include yourself in the film?

Ye: I talked to many patients, but no one wanted to be filmed because they were unwilling to show their breasts. I decided that if I could not find anyone else, I'd have to do it myself.

When did shooting begin?

Ye: When the stitches were removed on the 14th day after my operation, although this was not shown in the documentary. I'm no more courageous than any other woman when it comes to showing my pain to others. Breast cancer brings distress, frustration and self-loathing. It makes maintaining a positive self-image very hard.

You have three plans related to breast cancer patients: setting up a website devoted to them, writing a book and shooting a 10-part documentary. How are you proceeding?

Ye: When I started shooting about myself and of my disease, I became engaged in publicity work on breast cancer prevention. Some in the media describe me as "spokeswoman for breast cancer patients." My purpose is to make healthy women realize how important it is to check their breasts regularly and help those who have had mastectomies to regain self-esteem and confidence as women. I not only want to show how breast cancer patients fight this dreadful disease but also to record the fight for life, in order to make those unthreatened by cancer appreciate their lives to the full.

What keeps you motivated from day to day?

Ye: Things like a recent incident when the mother of one of my son's classmates called to tell me that her colleague had been to have a checkup after seeing my film. She was found to have breast cancer, and now she is receiving treatment. My film has given her a chance of recovery and survival, so what I'm doing has paid off. It must continue in order to benefit as many people as possible.

Because breast cancer prevention concerns more than men and women.

Ye: Yes. One out of every 100 breast cancer patients is a man. I believe an annual checkup for mammary diseases is necessary for all adults.

The Reason to Live

The love and support from her friends makes Shi Hua (third left) determined to maintain her fight for life.

"I had always been in good health, so it had never occurred to me that I might be ill someday. Now that the day has actually come, I do not let it scare me. Other patients call me a fighter. One thing I am sure of is that I cannot die, simply because I have not lived long enough."

-- Shi Hua

Shi Hua, 42, is a railway policewoman. She recently had both her breasts removed and is currently going through chemotherapy.

Shi: The mammary hyperplasia first occurred in my left breast three years ago. It was manifest in a hard lump that I didn't think was a problem. After the lump was removed, the doctor told me that they needed a biopsy to decide what to do next.

When the results came, my doctor told me that a radical mastectomy was needed. He said I should first have the left breast removed and then have a biopsy on the other, where there was also hyperplasia. I was very calm and decided that I wanted only one operation. I told the doctor that what I dreaded most was hearing him say that the other breast would have to be removed. My psychological burden would then be worse than the physical pain itself. I wanted him to do what was necessary in one go. The doctor knew that my right breast was cancerous, as so agreed. He asked that my family to consent to my operation, but I told him that they were not available and that I could sign the paper myself. The biopsy later showed that I made the right decision.

You seem to have a lot of friends around.

Shi: Yes. Throughout my operations, my former classmates took turns staying with me day and night and got their family members to cook and bring nourishing food. Before I got sick, we rarely met because we were all busy with our own lives. Now they found the time to be with me. Nowadays I often think what friendship means, and it seems true friends are those who calm you when you feel anxious and help you unconditinally. I'm determined to stay strong and live as well as I can because of my friends.

Following each chemotherapy session, my friends would take me outside to enjoy nature and keep me company. During those times, I didn't feel like a patient. They thanked me for giving them the chance to realize how life and health should be cherished.