Juliana, now 43, was diagnosed with mucinous carcinoma, a rare form of breast cancer, after discovering a lump in her right breast in December 2016. The cancer accounts for just 1-2% of all breast cancer cases and typically affects older women.
“At that time, I was only 34 and had no family history of cancer. When people asked why it happened to me, I accepted it as a test given by Allah,” she told Bernama when met recently at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM).
A civil servant from Taiping, Perak, Juliana took immediate medical leave from her overseas posting and underwent surgery at the National Cancer Institute (IKN) in January 2017.
“Because I acted quickly, the doctor said chemotherapy was not mandatory as the cancer cells had been removed and had not spread. However, I chose to proceed as a precaution and underwent six cycles of chemotherapy, with the final treatment on July 7, 2017,” she shared.
Despite being in a long-distance marriage at the time, Juliana said she and her husband, Fariq Azwar Salehuddin, 44, never stopped hoping for a child. After completing her cancer treatment and receiving encouraging follow-up results, she was cleared to pursue fertility treatment.
The couple underwent four cycles of intrauterine insemination at Putrajaya Hospital before being referred to HCTM for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment in May 2020 under the supervision of a reproductive and oncofertility specialist.
The journey was far from smooth. The first IVF attempt resulted in an early pregnancy loss, while subsequent cycles were postponed or cancelled owing to complications, including empty follicles and uterine polyps that required surgical removal as they could interfere with embryo implantation.
“Every time a treatment failed, questions arose within me – what else was lacking?” Juliana expressed, adding that she also sought advice from other treatment centres about her condition.
After seven IVF cycles, Juliana finally became pregnant in December 2024. She delivered a baby girl, Emma Emily Fariq Azwar, via elective surgery on July 24, 2025, at 37 weeks and five days of gestation.
Throughout the pregnancy, Juliana chose to keep the news within a small circle while closely adhering to her prescribed medical plan.
“‘The Magnificent Seven’ – that’s all I can say about this successful attempt. Everything happened with Allah’s permission. It was truly unexpected,” she said.
“We never gave up. We told the doctor we would keep fighting. But we were also aware that we would have to stop if the doctor said the treatment had reached a point where the harm outweighed the benefit.”
To couples struggling to conceive, Juliana urges early screening and stresses the importance of seeking professional medical advice.
“Couples can undergo health checks. Don’t be shy about seeing a doctor and don’t take misguided advice from unqualified individuals,” she said.
She added that while medical treatment and effort are crucial, the final outcome ultimately lies beyond human control.
“All efforts are human endeavours, but the final outcome lies in God’s will,” she concluded.