Fatima’s story: battling bladder cancer with strength and hope

In the fifth video of the series “5 Women, 5 Experiences,” we meet Fatima, a 40-year-old from Mumbai, India who shares her journey with bladder cancer.

Fatima’s journey with cancer began in 2017 when she noticed blood in her urine, prompting her to seek medical attention. After consulting a gynaecologist, she was referred to a nephrologist. The initial problem was resolved with medication, and her life returned to normal. However, when she missed her periods later that year, an ultrasound revealed a positive pregnancy along with a mass in her bladder. Further tests confirmed it was cancer, leading to the termination of her pregnancy and the start of her cancer treatment.

Fatima’s doctors performed a Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT) to remove the bladder mass and took a biopsy of a kidney mass. The biopsy revealed both masses were cancerous: the bladder mass was low grade, and the kidney mass was high grade. A recurrence in her bladder was found during a follow-up cystoscopy, requiring another TURBT. She then underwent Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy, experiencing severe side effects like urinary tract infections and reactive arthritis after 15 cycles.

By sharing Fatima’s story of hope, we highlight the wider challenges women face with bladder cancer. This effort seeks to support and empower women facing bladder cancer.

Together, we are advocating for increased awareness and action on issues women encounter when faced with a bladder cancer diagnosis and fostering a world where every woman’s health journey is acknowledged and supported.

We invite you to learn more about our “5 women, 5 experiences” campaign here.

If you want to learn more about bladder cancer, visit our bladder cancer information pages or contact our member organisations closest to you.