Sudanow Interviews The Media Personality Hiba Al-Muhandis on Her Cancer Recovery Journey| Sudanow Magazine

Portsudan(Sudanow)_After a video shared by her audience went viral across social media platforms and her Facebook page, garnering millions of interactions from within and outside Sudan, Hiba appeared shedding tears of love and gratitude for her colleagues and fans who celebrated her return to work after a four-month absence due to her battle with cancer. To check on her health and reassure her audience, and in conjunction with Ambassador Muawiya Bukhari's Campaign to stand with her Sudanow met with the esteemed media personality, Hiba Al-Muhandis, to hear about her journey and the details of her struggles and triumphs.

1. We all know Hiba Al-Muhandis, the renowned media personality and educated presenter, but we want to hear from you, who is Hiba ?
I am a very simple person who loves life and people. I hold deep affection for my family and children, and I live on the memory of my mother and brother, may God have mercy on them. My philosophy in this life is that we are merely memories and imprints; one either leaves behind a beautiful memory and impact, or the opposite.
I love my work deeply. It is a blessing from God that I work in a field I love. My dream of entering the media field began with a hidden desire that manifested at the appointed time God arranged for me. Fate's arrangements were better than my expectations; I never planned to work in this field, but God's will is more beautiful than our plans. I am a reader and connoisseur of poetry, and I also write some thoughts for myself from time to time.
I love Sudanese music and listen to Amazigh desert music. I am a lover of diverse cultures and listen to both Arab and non-Arab cultures.
I live in a state of constant connection and communion with Allah Almighty, and I always feel that I am under His care and presence.
I am a cat owner and have a special bond with them; I love pets, especially cats.
I wish for people to be frank, honest, and genuine with themselves so that they can be honest with others. This is what allows us to reach the hearts of the people we love.

2. How was your experience with cancer?
My journey with this illness began with one decision: "There must be complete submission, contentment, and absolute reliance on God." It's true that my feelings were mixed; I suffered from fear and anxiety during my first week with the illness and was engrossed in many imaginations and scenarios. I thought about my end, what would happen to my children, and if I was ready for the afterlife and my meeting with God!
I entered a whirlwind of painful psychological struggles, but after the first night, I had an honest moment with myself and resolved to stop this struggle. I sought refuge from the whispers and temptations of Satan. That night, I raised my case to the heavens and relied on God Almighty, submitting to His decree and destiny.
I had great faith in God's kindness and that He would care for me with His providence. After reaching a stage of complete surrender, my soul relaxed and my mind found peace, for there is no comfort equal to that found in reliance on God. I lived with the illness with complete contentment.

3. How was your treatment journey?
The treatment journey was one of the most difficult experiences I've been through, as I suffered from exhaustion and pain. I underwent two sessions a month, one session every two weeks. Each session was divided into two periods: the first period was six hours spent in the hospital, and the second period was spent at home, where a device was placed under the skin and connected to a main vein for forty-six hours "two days". There were some side effects of the treatment, such as fatigue, nausea, and excruciating pain.
The eight sessions passed with all their harshness, but they were a spiritual experience. God spared me from the radiation sessions that were scheduled for me, and the doctor said that my condition would not require them.
What I want to clarify to people after my appearance in the video that spread accidentally on social media and without any planning from me, as I wanted to convey the news of my complete recovery instead of my illness, is that people thought I had fully recovered and completely overcome the disease. I also feel that I have healed, but in reality, I still have the final stage of treatment, which is the surgical removal of the tumor-bearing part in the rectum. I pray to God that it will be crowned with success so that I may be completely cured of this disease and continue my journey in life with a new birth after this harsh experience.

4. Tell us about the reactions of your loved ones when they learned of your illness and how they supported you.
When the doctor told me about the tumor in the rectum, my sister May and my daughter "Fay" were with me. At that moment, I looked at them and felt more fear for them than for myself. I had experienced the feeling of being a co-patient to a patient with my late mother, and I knew that a co-patient can suffer from exhaustion and fatigue more than the patient themselves. Therefore, I didn't want them to know about my illness so quickly. Despite that, they supported me from the very first moment. May and her daughters supported me, and my daughter Fay was like the light guiding me on this difficult journey. She provided support consciously without showing fear or anxiety. She and her sisters accompanied me on my journey in all its small and large details; she was present with me at home, cared for me during treatment sessions, and went with me to the doctor. My sisters: Shahd, May, and Hadeel also supported me, as did my friend Sara, who wakes up before dawn to avoid traffic and come to me in Dubai from Ajman, then sleep in the car while waiting for me to finish my treatment sessions, constantly checking on me.
The support from those around me was one of the things that alleviated my illness and boosted my morale, and I cannot thank them enough in this regard.
I am grateful to all my colleagues who celebrated me, wrote about me, and asked about my condition. I thank everyone who sent me messages or supported me, as this love was the biggest driver for providing psychological support and improving my condition. I sincerely thank all those who embodied God's love for me through their love for me.

5. Will you reflect this experience back to the community through awareness programs?
Absolutely. I intend to design short videos and reels to talk about the importance of health, eating, drinking, and exercising, because prevention is better than cure. It's also crucial to pay attention to mental health as it's the foundation of physical health. We must not allow psychological pressures to affect us, nor should we unconsciously let toxic relationships poison our lives. We need to surround ourselves with supportive people and carefully choose our relationships and those around us, whether they are life partners, friends, or colleagues.
Among the things I will focus on in my next project is discussing choices and their impact on our lives, health, and well-being. I am very excited to share these tips and experiences and reflect them through my work after my recovery, God willing.
This experience has made me more aware, and I intend to publish educational messages after completing my healing journey to raise awareness about the necessity of periodic check-ups and dealing with illness without fear. This is because the vast majority of people treat cancer as an inevitable end to life, which was one of the reasons I did not publicly announce my illness. The reactions of others can affect the patient and can be more painful than cancer itself.
Both the patient and those around them must deal with the situation with full awareness. It has been proven that 70% of cases that recover are those detected early.

6. On a professional level, what are your future plans?
My work was one of the things that alleviated my pain because I didn't surrender to the illness. I continued to work from home during my illness and always tried not to fall short, as I approach my profession with love and passion and consider it a great responsibility, not just a job that provides a salary at the end of the month.
I will record new episodes of "Hiba Cast" for its second season. I had prepared a long list of distinguished guests before my illness, but I had to stop due to my health conditions. However, I will return with greater strength and awareness. I consider my recovery a new birth, even professionally and career-wise, and the future, God willing, will be even better.

7. Any final words?
I thank Sudanow for this kind initiative. I believe it's wonderful to reflect our experiences in other languages so they can reach the largest number of people, especially young people who are now interested in learning foreign languages, and it's their good fortune that a magazine like Sudanow is published in English.

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