Breaking Silence, Finding Strength: My Journey as a Cancer Survivor and Advocate

By Harjeet Kaur, Patient Partner & Advocate

When my husband and I immigrated to Canada in 2018, I was full of hope. I looked forward to building a new life, a career, and a community in a country that promised opportunity and stability. Just one year later, everything changed.

In August 2019, at only 32 years old, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Subcutaneous Panniculitis T-Cell Lymphoma with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), an ultra-rare and aggressive blood cancer. What began as months of unexplained fevers, fatigue, and weight changes turned into countless hospital visits, biopsies, and tests before doctors finally found the answer. By then, the cancer had advanced.

Navigating Cancer as a Newcomer

Receiving this diagnosis as a young immigrant was overwhelming. I was still learning how to navigate a new healthcare system, far from extended family and the familiar networks of support back home in India. The sense of isolation was heavy. I had imagined my early years in Canada would be about stability and growth; instead, they became about survival.

Chemotherapy began immediately, and in April 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I underwent a stem cell transplant. I spent 35 days in isolation without the comfort of my family by my side. It was one of the hardest experiences of my life, but also one that showed me the power of resilience, compassion, and community—values that would later shape my advocacy work.

Confronting Silence in My Community

Alongside the physical and emotional toll of treatment, I carried another burden: the heavy weight of silence. In my South Asian community, cancer is rarely spoken about openly. Stigma, fear, and shame often surround the disease, creating barriers to seeking support or even acknowledging its existence.

When I returned home after my stem cell transplant and weeks of isolation, the silence felt even louder. My family and I didn’t know how to talk about what had happened — we avoided the subject of cancer altogether. It was as if speaking about it might make the pain return. That moment made me realize how deeply silence runs in our culture, even within our closest relationships. It became clear to me that healing wasn’t just about physical recovery — it was about starting difficult conversations, breaking that silence, and creating space for honesty and support.

From Patient to Advocate

My advocacy journey began after my stem cell transplant, when I realized that my story could help others feel less alone. Speaking out became my way of turning pain into purpose and finding support beyond my immediate circle.

I first began sharing my experiences through my blog, and later on social media (Instagram: @hk_thriver), which allowed me to connect with survivors and caregivers across Canada and beyond. These platforms became catalysts for growth and connection. From there, opportunities grew: I proudly assumed multiple roles, including becoming an Advocacy Constituency Team (ACT) Lead with the Canadian Cancer Society, a Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) Localife Leader, a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council at the Arthur J.E. Child Cancer Centre, a Patient Partner with Riddle Cancer Centre, and a Patient Ambassador with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. In each of these roles, I share my lived experience to make healthcare more compassionate, equitable, and responsive for other patients.

I also co-founded Chai and Hope, a peer-support initiative designed to create safe spaces for honest conversations about cancer and survivorship in my South Asian community. Through these efforts, I have spoken on panels, contributed insights at national conferences, collaborated on research projects, and worked alongside healthcare providers to ensure patient voices are represented. Central to my advocacy has been championing health equity in cancer care– fighting to ensure people from all backgrounds have access to the same quality of treatment and support.

Mentors and Community 

Along the way, I have been fortunate to meet mentors who encouraged me to see the value in my lived experience. Patient advocates, healthcare professionals, and leaders from organizations such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada and Wellspring have supported me and given me the confidence to keep going. Their belief in me has reminded me that advocacy is not done alone—it is a collective effort.

Looking Ahead

Today, six years after my diagnosis and five years post-transplant, my perspective on survivorship has evolved: it is about more than recovery—it is about building bridges and pathways for others and ensuring no one feels alone in this journey. 

In the future, I hope my advocacy will continue to grow in two directions:

1. Breaking the stigma in immigrant and South Asian communities, so more people can access support free from fear or shame. 

2. Uplifting patient voices in healthcare and research, so that decisions are guided not only by data, but also by the realities of those living with cancer.

Cancer has undeniably changed the course of my life, but it also gave me a mission. By sharing my lived experience, I hope to create a world where no one feels they have to face cancer in silence—and where every patient feels empowered to be part of the conversation.