Hope in a Shot: The Five-Minute Vaccine Offering New Horizons in Breast Cancer Treatment

TDT | UAE

Email: ashen@newsofbahrain.com

Four years after becoming the region’s first patient to receive a groundbreaking five-minute injection for breast cancer, Filipina mother of two, Joan Resta, reflects on her challenging journey and the resilience it took to overcome her diagnosis.

Resta was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer in January 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a particularly difficult time for her family, as she and her husband found themselves unemployed. At just 42, Resta was devastated, worrying about her two young children, who were only four and five years old at the time.

“During the pandemic, everything was uncertain. To make matters worse, my insurance initially didn’t cover the treatment. I felt completely lost,” Resta recalled in an interview.
She described sleepless nights filled with anxiety over her health and her family’s future.
Amid her struggle, Resta found a lifeline through Prof. Humaid Al Shamsi, CEO of Burjeel Cancer Institute (BCI) in Abu Dhabi, who connected her with Burjeel Medical City’s philanthropic fund and other charities. “Thankfully, I met Prof. Al Shamsi, who helped me get treatment covered,” she said.

In October 2020, the UAE became the first country outside the US to introduce Phesgo, a revolutionary five-minute injection that replaced lengthy intravenous infusions that could take up to five hours. Phesgo can be administered alongside chemotherapy, either before or after surgery, making it a versatile option in breast cancer treatment plans.

According to Prof. Al Shamsi, the quick injection “simplified treatment without compromising effectiveness” for patients. “The treatment has shown comparable results to intravenous infusions in terms of efficacy,” he noted.

After completing her chemotherapy, Resta faced a year of infusion therapy and had to decide whether to try the new injection. Initially, she was concerned about potential side effects, given that the ‘five-minute’ treatment was new to the UAE.

“I was scared and kept researching and asking Prof. Al Shamsi. Eventually, I put my trust in him and the process. It turned out to be quick and easy,” Resta shared.
Once she received the injection, Resta experienced a profound sense of relief. Instead of spending hours at the hospital each week for infusion therapy, the injection allowed her to maximize precious moments with her family. “No more six-hour hospital stays away from my young children. It was over in just minutes, and I could be back home with them. This meant everything during COVID-19,” she said.

After two years of treatment and 30 days of radiation, Resta was finally cancer-free. “When I was told there was no evidence of disease, I cried out of sheer joy and gratitude. I'm thankful it's behind me with all the mental, financial, and physical challenges during COVID-19,” she expressed.
Now, working administratively, Resta is gradually returning to a normal life. “I thank God, my doctors, family, friends, and church community. It was not an easy journey,” she reflected. Her message to all women fighting breast cancer is simple: “Never lose hope.”