Overwhelmed by gratitude at having been declared cancer-free, Rose Grima decided to commission a large painting to thank the country for the treatment she received, which will hang at the new oncology hospital.

Photo: Shutterstock

Ms Grima, 65, and her husband Joe came up with the idea of portraying an olive tree, known for its steadfast nature and its healing properties, against a backdrop of a rising sun, which revitalises the island and signifies endurance.

“The treatment I received for my Grade 3 breast cancer was very expensive. I was so grateful to God and to my country for what it has given me that I decided to do something about it,” Ms Grima explained.

“I would like the painting to hang at the day care unit at the Sir Anthony Mamo hospital in the hope that it will help patients have courage and hope.”

I would like the painting to hang at the day care unit at the Sir Anthony Mamo hospital in the hope that it will help patients have courage and hope

The painting will be accompanied by a few lines to encapsulate its message, penned by Oliver Friggieri. Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne said it was very encouraging to see that patients and staff were beginning to take ownership of the new hospital.

But Ms Grima also has a message to pass to the authorities: she is calling for the breast screening programme to be extended to women over 65. Currently, breast screening in Malta is available for women between 50 and 65 years of age. Every woman in that age bracket is invited for screening at three-year intervals. However, in 2013, there were 46 cases of women diagnosed with breast cancer between the ages of 65 and 69.

Jesmond Vassallo has started work on the painting, which will hang at the Sir Anthony Mamo Hospital. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

“The breast screening programme should be available to women over 65 years of age. It is much cheaper for the government to detect cancer at an early stage through a mammogram rather than having to treat it at a later stage.

“Screening should also be done at two-year intervals because three years allows for ample time for cancer to grow.”

A few days after Ms Grima and her husband celebrated their 40th anniversary this month last year, she noticed that, after having a shower, her breast was left with a persistent reddishness. At first there was no pain, and Ms Grima was more concerned about her knee, which was inflamed and causing her pain. However, in the two weeks leading to her appointment, the redness had intensified at an alarming rate.

Ms Grima kept her concern at bay by reminding herself that she had no family history of breast cancer and sought comfort in the fact that her sister-in-law had had a similar ailment which did not turn out to be breast cancer. However, following a mammogram, she was asked to undergo an emergency biopsy. Closely observing the doctors’ body language and worried expressions – many of whom know her son, Marius, who is a prominent paediatric radiologist in the UK – Ms Grima sensed something was very wrong. She was then given the devastating news that she had an aggressive advanced tumour. “At that point, knowing it was advanced, I did not want to treat it. I kept imagining the ordeal of chemotherapy, my hair falling off in clumps.”

However, a CT scan revealed that the cancer had not yet spread and Ms Grima took her surgeon’s advice of fighting it back in an equally aggressive manner.

Following five gruelling months of chemotherapy and a host of other illnesses brought about by her low immune system, Ms Grima underwent an operation which removed her lymph nodes, tumour and part of her breast. “The next time I was back at the clinic, the surgeon looked at me and told me: ‘Where is the champagne to celebrate?’ The 30mm tumour had not only shrunk but it had been burnt into ashes.”