I see her for the first time at the table in the restaurant, where we had our first encounter with the strong and brave women - victims of breast cancer. I'm thinking, that she is a doctor or a journalist, I do not allow, that she might have been ill. The woman, which captures my attention instantly, laughing uproariously and telling joke after joke (with a very rich vocabulary, I make a mental note). She is sparkling blonde, contagiously cheerful, extremely elegant, has a dazzling smile and a sharp mind. Diana Borlakova, director of marketing and public relations of Carrefour stores, has encountered the disease before 12 years of preventive examination. And since then, nothing in her life has been the same.
We talk about common things. Gradually she begins to tell us. We listen with horror to what she went through together with the doctor next to me, who happens to be my cousin and with Niki Kanchev. I feel like crying.
…
Diana loves life, she rejoices in his miracle and is happy. "I will die, but it won't be today!” No medicine compares to the way, how they make her feel, on which her friends treat her. He lives in the country of the unhappiest people in the world, side, in which complaining is the fashion and it is in very bad taste to be happy. She's not like that. She is different. Diana, who loves life and knows how to give.
2005 r. During a preventive examination, metastases were found in her bones. According to the doctors, he should be immobilized. It turns out, that she is prescribed outdated medicines - the health fund does not offer patients the latest ones. Diana pays 4000 BGN per infusion. Her parents sell everything, which they have. And they know - this treatment lasts a lifetime. Then she contacted the Association of Cancer Patients. And Zheni Aderska tells her: “Cancer is the best thing, what happened to me". It gives her the courage to lead the fight against the then Minister of Health. Diana goes to Ani Tsolova and calls on him on TV to allow another country to help her with treatment, as long as hers doesn't provide her with medication. Then a member of the National Assembly declared, that cancer patients do not need drugs, because they are doomed anyway. How will he be able to explain to her 12-year-old daughter why she doesn't need medicine?! The late Daniela Seizova heads the campaign, arrives with the team, drives the state crazy.
Diana has been receiving calls from Parliament: “If you stop making noise, there will be medicine for you.” She cannot imagine such conformity. He received the award of. "24 hours" for the most worthy Bulgarian. The battle is won and all sick women have access to the expensive drug.
Today. Every month of God, Diana is at the inflow. He enters the hospital and sits on the bed, work on your computer, she acts like it's none of her business. Thank God in the bones the disease develops more slowly. It's probably too much to say, that he has been cured of cancer, tells me, and her eyes are laughing. “When you laugh, you travel, you live happily... but the immune system is strengthened. Cancer wins, when there is a breakdown of the immune system. 90% from the people, who I meet in the hospital are desperate, they are not dug in, they look at me and can't believe their eyes. Pushed, tossed around, crashed by the system. Smile at her!” says Diana. When will our doctors understand the word "treat"? The patient here feels like a bother and an intruder.
A change? Diana looks at herself and at things, which it does in a much healthier way. He doesn't pay attention to nonsense, she has become much stronger, can give much more courage to others. People thank her on the street, because she gave courage and strength to their loved ones. Because cancer patients are not lepers. Because there is hope.
…
She had to experience the effects of morphine. After the operation. "You know, its terrible! The pain is there, she is standing. Morphine does not kill pain. You just don't care. This is disgusting! Not for you, you know?!!! I don't want to not care! I don't want to sneak around! I'm a fighter. And I won't stop fighting. I will die. We have to stand at the forefront of battles.”
Diana Borlakova says and laughs. And I'm crying. But only internally. Because such people do not tolerate sympathy, in their presence pity is irrelevant. They are much stronger and worthy of respect than us…
...By the way, Borlakova is a strange name, comes from grandfather ù – born in Braila – and means “man, who loves life".
