When Sherrylou Salinas received a diagnosis of cervical cancer, her only concern was who would look after her two daughters in the Philippines.
But, with the initial stages of her treatment now complete, the 45-year-old Sharjah resident is grateful that her decisive action to seek medical help, combined with the quick thinking of her doctors, may have saved her life.
Now, as cervical cancer health awareness month comes to an end, Ms Salinas is urging women to prioritise regular screenings and check-ups because "it can save lives".
Early detection and the HPV vaccine can make all the difference. It can save lives
Sherrylou Salinas
“I never thought it could happen to me as I don’t drink or smoke. I was scared and kept asking why,” Ms Salinas told The National.
“I asked the doctor if I would die. I was only thinking of my two daughters.”
In September last year, Ms Salinas returned home from her work in Dubai when she noticed that she was bleeding.
She rushed to Sharjah's Aster Hospital and, after tests, doctors referred her to an oncologist in Al Qusais, Dubai.
After a biopsy and MRI and PETCT scans, Ms Salinas was told she had cervical cancer and was warned it was spreading, but that there was hope, because the diagnosis had been made early.
“The doctor gave me hope. He smiled and confirmed this type of cancer is treatable with advanced facilities," she said.
"I was worried after searching for the lifespan of cancer patients, and he advised me not to search on Google."
Fighting for her family
Ms Salinas' daughters, 22-year-old Keisha and three-year-old Kallee, were living with her elderly parents in the Philippines at the time, and her desire to see them again is what kept her going.
“I was only seeing them during my 30-day vacation. I knew I had to fight for myself and my loved ones," she said.
After two weeks of treatment, Ms Salinas was not able to go to work.
“My body became weak, and it was hard for me to do anything because of the treatment’s side effects. I could not eat and just wanted to lie in my bed,” she added.
Having finished her treatment on January 9, Ms Salinas will return for tests and scans in February to see if she is clear of cancer. She hopes to see her daughters again in April, if all goes well.
“Little by little, I gained my power, and was able to go to work. I can eat and taste food. My employer gave me sick leave during my treatment, and was very supportive,” she said.
“I feel better but, in my mind, I keep asking when it will end.”
Dr Sivaprakash Rathanaswamy, head of the department of surgery and oncology at Aster Hospital in Al Qusais, told The National that Ms Salinas had undergone chemoradiation, which was completed in December last year.
“Ms Salinas was suffering stage three cervical cancer with pelvic lymph node involvement. She was planned for concurrent chemoradiation and brachytherapy which helps in delivering high doses of radiotherapy to the tumour resulting in better cure rates,” he said.
Cervical cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the cervix lining. The common cause is human papilloma virus infection, with rare associations including HIV infection and tobacco smoking.
Dr Rathanaswamy said women aged between 21 and 29 are recommended to undergo cytology screening every three years. From 30 to 65, they may continue three-yearly cytology, or undergo simultaneous cytology and HPV screening every five years.
Women aged 65 and over, as well as those who have undergone hysterectomy surgery, do not require screening, he added.
Throughout her ordeal, Ms Salinas has emphasised the crucial role of early detection and urges women to prioritise regular screenings and check-ups.
“Women usually neglect visiting the doctor, but early detection and the HPV vaccine can make all the difference. It can save lives,” she said.
“Being a cancer patient is a life sentence. Once you're done with treatment, you have to do the follow-ups and monitoring for the rest of your life until they declare you cancer-free.”
The biog
Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children
She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career
She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence
Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
57%20Seconds
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The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Brief scores:
Toss: India, opted to field
Australia 158-4 (17 ov)
Maxwell 46, Lynn 37; Kuldeep 2-24
India 169-7 (17 ov)
Dhawan 76, Karthik 30; Zampa 2-22
Result: Australia won by 4 runs by D/L method
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
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