Strength, faith, and vision

I am Nika Matovac, a medical student and daughter of Ves-na Andrijević-Matovac, who was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was only 11 years old. As you might know, when my mum was writing this column, she was talking about her feelings, her fears, her tears, she told you stories from her life and the life of her friends who were in the same situation… I've written about how I felt during all these years, how it looks like when a woman with breast cancer goes on holidays, and now I am asking myself what to write about, and who I am to talk about such a delicate situation as is that of women with breast cancer. Therefore, I've decided to tell you a few stories that revolve around a single basic idea – HELP THOSE IN NEED. My mum was born on Christmas day, December 25, 1960 as the first child of her parents, Nada and Berislav. She was a very lively child, but was often afraid for her health. My mum met my dad at the age of 18 and at that time she was a really good violinist, future student of economics, and truly big hypochondriac. I was born when my mum was 29 as the first and only child. Before my mum's illness, life was really a fairytale. She would make the best birthday parties and the most beautiful gingerbread house you could imagine, she would buy me everything I wanted , she had the most beautiful smile, was a better driver than some men, sang beautifully, and made her world turn around mine – she changed her job just to be more at home with me, cooked me lunch, drove me to school, went shopping with me (and did not show the bill to my dad, cause that would be a disaster). We were mum and daughter, but what's even better we were best friends. If you ask yourself what changed after she had got her diagnosis on October 8, 2001, the answer is – honestly, not much. After that day, my mum was fighting even harder to be with me, to see me growing, to see me becoming a woman, but it was not easy. I am a medical student and I've wanted to become a doctor since I was a child. I've always been fascinated with needles, hospitals, medicine, and the idea of …