PETALING JAYA: A brief conversation between an e-hailing driver and a passenger who was a nurse led to the former discovering that she had breast cancer.
Driver Syamsidar Ismail, or fondly known as Kak Ida from Selangor, had been experiencing an itching sensation in her breast but initially thought it could be due to hormonal changes.
However, she became concerned when she realised the sensation affected only one side.
“I was wondering why it was only on one side and not both,” she said when met at Grab’s #SisBoleh Pinktober event here at Kampus Rakan Grab: Axis Business Campus on Thursday.
The passenger, whom she met while driving, advised her to see a doctor.
Kak Ida went to a health clinic the following day, where a doctor referred her to a hospital for further assessment.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2023 and underwent treatment, including chemotherapy. She had surgery in 2024 and is now in remission.
Despite the challenges, Kak Ida, who is married with a daughter, continued working whenever she felt well enough, while making time for medical appointments.
She said meeting people and receiving encouragement from them helped her maintain a positive outlook throughout the difficult period.
Kak Ida, who has been driving with Grab for eight years, will turn 50 in November. She took up e-hailing because of the flexibility it offered, having previously run several businesses.
She also enjoys participating in Grab events and meeting people through her work.
Reflecting on her experience, Kak Ida said awareness programmes on women’s cancers are important because some women might not realise they have the disease.
“Sometimes, we don’t know that we have cancer,” she said, adding that women should seek appropriate screening and medical checks.
She also encouraged women to take care of their health through regular exercise and a balanced diet, noting that mothers often have to juggle family responsibilities alongside their own needs.
For women facing illness or such challenges, she said it is important to find happiness in what they do and to remain positive.
“No matter how sick we are, we have to make ourselves happy,” she added.
Grab’s #SisBoleh Pinktober initiative aims to promote breast cancer awareness and the well-being of women driver- and delivery-partners through health screenings, breast self-examination demonstrations and educational activities.
Other activities include health screenings, blood tests, blind massage and DIY perfume making, alongside a breast cancer awareness talk by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM).
#SisBoleh is Grab’s women empowerment programme that aims to support women driver- and delivery-partners by promoting safety, building confidence, providing relevant training and fostering a supportive community.
The programme seeks to create a more inclusive platform where women feel empowered to participate in the gig economy, develop their skills and earn an income with greater confidence.
In March, NCSM said breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in Malaysia, with one in 19 women at risk.
However, a lack of real-time data on cases and mortality numbers has become a challenge in staging interventions.
NCSM managing director Prof Dr Murallitharan Munisamy said the number of new cancer cases is also on the rise, especially for breast cancer.
Also known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month or Pinktober, Pink October is an international health campaign held every October.
