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MANILA, Philippines – “Nurse, congrats!” said the voice on the phone.
When Shara Baang heard these words from her boyfriend, she could not believe it at first.
“Sinearch ko agad sa PRC at doon nakita ko ‘yung pangalan ko. Umiyak talaga ako at sabi ko, thank you Lord (I looked it up on PRC and I saw my name. I cried hard and said, thank you Lord)!” Baang told Rappler.
The journey to passing the May 2023 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE) for the 25-year-old was marked by a series of struggles. A week before the exam, Baang and her family received unexpected news about the lump in her neck — it was papillary thyroid cancer.
According to the Columbia Thyroid Center, papillary thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing types of cancer, with more than 20,000 new cases every year. It starts with the growth of abnormal cancer cells within the thyroid and commonly affects young women.
In spite of this, Baang persevered and refocused all her attention to the exam instead of her cancer diagnosis to mentally prepare herself.
Becoming a registered nurse
Baang completed her nursing degree at the Mountain View College in Valencia City, Bukidnon in June 2022.
She admitted that nursing was not her first choice, but she came to love it when she experienced firsthand caring for patients.
“Sa duty po namin, makikita mo na in pain sila, tapos naaawa ako, kaya ‘yung pag-care ko sa kanila is with full effort talaga. Pinagpe-pray ko sila. ‘Yun po ‘yung best part, after prayer, then makikita mo silang mag-smile,” she said.
(When we’re on duty, you can see them in pain, then I empathize with them, so I exert my full effort in taking care of them. I pray for them. That’s the best part, then after praying, you will see them smile).
Support from loved ones
With her family’s full support, Baang did not lose focus on taking the nursing licensure exam even if she was due for a thyroidectomy – surgery on her thyroid gland to treat the cancer – just four days after the exam.
Baang explained her decision not to defer the exam: “Nasasayangan po ako sa time and effort ko, parang gusto ko na pong mag-give back na sa parents ko (I didn’t want to waste my time and effort, and I wanted to give back to my parents).”
Baang credits her father, Teddy, a Seventh-day Adventist Church minister, for strengthening her spirituality.
“Nag-encourage siya sa akin nung gusto ko nang gumive up. Hine-help niya talaga ako, pinagpe-pray niya ako every day (He encouraged me when I felt like giving up. He really helps me, he prays for me every day),” said Baang, who deemed herself a “papa’s girl.”
For Teddy, learning that his daughter had cancer was terrifying. “‘Yung period sa paghihintay sa result, may halong kaba na talaga…. Tapos sinabi na si Shara ay may papillary thyroid cancer, ‘di talaga maiwasang lumuha ako.”
(I was really anxious while waiting for the results.… Then when we were told that Shara has papillary thyroid cancer, I could not help but cry.)
He added, “Sa totoo lang, doon ako kumuha ng strength kay (To be honest, I drew strength from) Shara knowing that even though she was diagnosed with that kind of sickness, she was very strong and optimistic.”
Baang’s loved ones also shared how she faced her battle against cancer with hope and courage.
Her older sister, Noreen, said, “She was always determined to pass the board exam. She wakes up really early just to study and not waste any time at all.”
Diana, her best friend, said: “What actually amazed me was that she was so composed while sharing her diagnosis. I had witnessed how dedicated she was in passing the board exam. She always puts her review first and foremost.”
Baang’s long-time boyfriend, RL, was by her during her confinement. “She is going through a lot right now, but she is positive that everything will go well.”
To support Baang, her loved ones gathered together to pray for the success of her thyroidectomy on June 1. She has been recovering at home.
“There were times that she’s in pain, uncomfortable, anxious, and crying but we never left her. All we did was pray and hold her hand,” RL said, recalling the post-surgery period.
‘Do not give up’
Baang struggled shaking off her worries before the PNLE. She said the mental battle was the hardest part of the preparation, as she tried to set aside her self-imposed pressure to pass the exam and negative thoughts that she would fail the exam because of her illness.
She also said she was more troubled by the cost of the hospital bills than the cancer diagnosis.
Baang noted that there was no pressure from her family to pass the exam but she always told herself that she should, guided by the thought to give back to her family.
She had doubts about passing the PNLE, which disappeared as soon as she saw her name among the official list of passers.
“Sobrang happy ko talaga. Alam ko na start palang ‘to ng journey ko as a nurse, kaya more kayod pa para maabot ang mga pangarap sa buhay.”
(I’m overjoyed. I know that this is just the beginning of my journey as a nurse, which is why I will work even harder to achieve my dreams.)
Her advice to others who are facing struggles while pursuing their dream? “Do not give up. Surrender everything to God,” Baang said. – Mia Seleccion/Rappler.com
Mia Seleccion is a third-year Communication Arts student at the University of Santo Tomas and an intern for Rappler’s Digital Communications team.
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