Upon receiving the news, she took a year off from her medical studies to focus on her treatment, which included chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
However, her journey to full recovery encountered a setback when she was again diagnosed with breast cancer, five years into remission. This time, she found a lump in her other breast.
“Having cancer the second time was very tough. I was ready to move on and the second cancer made everything worse because I wasn’t prepared for it,” she said.
Her mental health went downhill, and subtle signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) began to emerge.
“I got easily overwhelmed if there were a lot of noises when I drove, and I knew it was PTSD when I started to have flashbacks and nightmares. I also became emotionally disconnected from everything,” she said.
But going for therapy sessions, surrounding herself in a supportive environment and becoming her own cheerleader aided in her emotional healing.
Her experience of battling cancer twice has also served as a catalyst for her spontaneous outlook on life.
“I realised that we can plan so much, but life is still unpredictable. Throughout that period, I learnt to adapt and to be more fluid in my approach to all aspects of life, be it my work, sports or hobbies,” she said.
Athletic potential
Ermi Dzulkifli, better known as Coach Zack, started working with Aiesha as her personal trainer after she nearly collapsed while trying to get back into shape on her own.
“Initially, I didn’t know that she was a cancer survivor. She approached me and said that she wanted to lose weight, so I just created a training programme for her,” he told FMT.
However, he decided to lower the intensity of her training after finding out about her medical history.
As her training progressed, he saw her potential to become an athlete due to her focus and discipline.
After two years, he persuaded Aiesha to join the Men of Steel bodybuilding competition in 2015.
“I pushed her harder and gave her a stricter diet. When the competition was approaching, her physique changed drastically and you could see more firmness and also a more symmetrical body shape,” he said.
Aiesha came in third, and her bodybuilding journey has been progressing ever since.
Aiesha said she felt empowered by her training and found joy in the pursuit of gaining strength after feeling weak for so long.
Last year, she won third place in the Nabba Universe 2022 competition.
Winning second place in this year’s Nabba Universe event in the UK on Oct 28 is her biggest achievement so far, but she does not plan to rest on her laurels.
Instead, Aiesha is determined to win the competition next year.
“I am confident in my ability to give it my all. Knowing that I gave my best and I’m living as authentically as possible in the pursuit of my bodybuilding sport, that is something I can live with,” she said.