'Will I die? What will happen to my kids and husband after I'm gone?' All these questions came to the mind of Jennifer Villanueva, the 33-year-old Dubai-based Filipina when she discovered being diagnosed with cancer.

She says that her life before the disease was full of energy, as she followed healthy diet, did not smoke and was active.

'I was really shocked when I found out,' the mother of four children told Dubai Post. 'When I discovered the tumors, I saw a doctor, and he told me that I'm diagnosed with thyroid cancer.'

Jennifer, who works as auditor at a private company in Dubai, describes cancer as a challenge that led her to realize the true meaning of life and learn how to fight it with hope and persistence. 'Being diagnosed with cancer is not the end of life. Many don’t get cancer, but they end up dying in a traffic accident, or because of other reasons,' she said.

A month ago, Jennifer undergone a surgery to remove her thyroid, and today, she feels healthy.

'It is curable. We must have hope and never give up,' she added.