February 10, 2019, is a day forever etched in my memory. I recall driving to my first breast screening mammogram, a routine procedure that somehow carried some anxiety. After being escorted into the examination room, the initial images were taken. The MD promptly requested an ultrasound, followed by a biopsy—which indicated that something was being questioned. The next day, my fears were confirmed. My heart sank as I received the diagnosis: estrogen and progesterone positive cancer in my left breast.

The following six months became a relentless cycle of medical appointments, scans, and treatments. Undergoing a bilateral mastectomy with expanders was an immense physical and emotional ordeal. The post-surgical experience—drains, sleepless nights, persistent fatigue, and the pain of limited mobility—was grueling. Between surgeries, I had brief windows of “recovery,” though they were consumed by the demands of daily life. I balanced a full caseload of patients at work, caring for my family, while also managing my own rehabilitation to alleviate pain, restoring function, and striving to maintain mental clarity amid the upheaval. Though I lacked the strength to return to my work as a physical therapist, I persevered, relying on self-massage and therapeutic exercises. Recovery was challenging, but with time, my body began to heal.

It was through this experience that I found my true calling and passion within physical therapy— a women-focused specialty center providing one-on-one care, empowering women to regain their lives by treating, healing, and supporting them through their own health challenges. Thus, Ilaaj Physical Therapy and Oncology Rehab was born. - Shabnum Brar, PT, MPT, CLT