A 30-year-old woman who beat breast cancer said her beloved cat named ‘Lucky’ helped her get a second chance at life after the feline alerted her of the tumour’s presence.
Young Seden Bas, a health officer working at a hospital in Izmir, Turkey, adopted a kitten she found under a street vendor’s stand six years ago and provided it with a warm home.
After bringing her home, she named it Sans (Lucky), because she said she wanted the cat to bring her luck. But she said she never expected her to actually live up to her name by saving her life after constantly poking at her right breast, where she soon discovered a lump.
She went to have it checked out at a hospital, and tests soon confirmed it was cancer.
After successfully defeating the illness with chemotherapy and immunotherapy, Seden is sharing her treatment journey to raise awareness.
Speaking to Newsflash in an exclusive interview, Seden said: “When I found out I had cancer, I felt like my world was crumbling. I mourned for three days straight.
“I was diagnosed on January 2nd, and it was my birthday on January 5th.
“On my birthday, I managed to pull myself together and started smiling again.”
“The process was tough, full of psychological ups and downs. I spent most of it laughing, smiling. There were moments during the intense chemotherapy when I felt it would never end, but eventually, it did.”
Seden claims she has everything to thank for her beloved Sans, who alerted her of the lump before she even herself knew it was there.
The brave survivor continued: “Cats, in general, are intuitive animals. Normally, wherever my body hurt, Sans would lie there.
“But this time, it was different. Sans never left my right breast; she was constantly massaging it.
“I considered it a regular behaviour until one day she jumped onto my right breast swiftly, and from that day on, the lump started hurting.
“When doctors heard my story, they thought it might be a cat scratch or granulomatous mastitis.
“My treatment got delayed for three months due to antibiotic treatment.
“When the pain became unbearable and the lump grew significantly, I went to a private hospital, and a biopsy was promptly performed.
“Sans, by alerting me to the pain, pushed me to go to the hospital before it became unbearable.”
Seden also confessed it was Sans who helped her go through the slow and painful recovery process.
She said: “Chemotherapy is the toughest process one can go through in life.
“When I found out I was going through chemotherapy, my first question was about my cat. Is it okay for her to stay at home?
“My doctor said there was no problem. Because during this long process, I couldn’t leave her anywhere else.
“Sans was aware that something was happening, although she couldn’t understand it.
“My normally aggressive cat became calm during my treatment.
“She kept massaging the area where the tumour was until it was removed.”
Incredibly, Seden said the cat returned to her normal self after she was cured, adding: “During that time, Sans psychologically helped me more than many people.”
Seden said her family and friends, and even strangers online were also incredibly empowering and gave her tonnes of support.
She added: “But I owe my life to my cat. Whether she sensed it or it was just a coincidence, I don’t know, but I am alive because of her. That’s the only truth I know.”
Lastly, Seden shared: “I want to address my fellow sufferers who are going through the same fate as me.
“I know you’re struggling. But please, never let go of the smile on your face.
“Laughter is cancer’s biggest enemy. By not taking it seriously and laughing, we will remove it from our lives.
“I always say, after the dark days, we will see the rainbow, just have a little patience.”
