How a breast cancer survivor transformed her life with positive thinking, more sleep, healthy eating and smarter workouts

Singapore-based banker Julianne Danielle Lim hit rock bottom after being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and suffering hair loss from chemotherapy

She decided to prioritise sleep and positivity, and change her diet and workout routine, and her cancer is now in remission. She tells her story to help others

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Breast cancer turned Julianne Danielle Lim’s life upside down, but after hitting rock bottom she turned her life around through positive thinking and lifestyle changes. Now her cancer is in remission and she’s helping others. Photo: Julianne Danielle Lim

Sasha Gonzales

Published: 4:15am, 26 Mar 2024Updated: 11:57pm, 28 Mar 2024

When Julianne Danielle Lim was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer in July 2020, she was devastated.

At 38, the then-banker was enjoying a successful career and an exciting social life, and was on track to accomplish her goals.

“When I finally consulted a doctor and was told that the cancer was aggressive, I couldn’t believe it. I also learned that that type of cancer typically strikes women under 40,” says Lim, who is now 42 and lives in Singapore.

She immediately began chemotherapy and immunotherapy, treatments that lasted for about six months.

Lim says she “couldn’t believe it” when her doctor told her she had an aggressive form of breast cancer. Photo: Julianne Danielle Lim

In January 2021, she underwent a mastectomy and deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap surgery, a type of breast reconstruction that uses skin, fat and blood vessels from the lower abdomen to rebuild the breast.

She also underwent radiation therapy for several weeks, and received eight cycles of oral chemotherapy.