Andrea, thank you very much for sharing your story as a cancer survivor and Head of Pharmaceutical Ingredients at Heraeus Precious Metals. What motivated you to share your experience today?
One reason I decided to do this interview is to add my voice to the global call for action. Action to reflect on your lifestyle but especially action to go to regular medical checkups. Even as a sportive, healthy eating and relatively young person, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Medical checkups were what undeniably saved my life.
However, there is another topic which is really important to me. Many people who receive a cancer diagnosis think it’s the end of the world. My message to you is: In some ways, it is – but then again, it’s not.
You often hear people say that every crisis has a positive side and that you can learn something from it. Honestly, my first thought was, “What nonsense! It’s just terrible, and there’s nothing to learn from it!” I didn’t want to hear comforting words – they felt hollow to me at the time. I could never have imagined that, very slowly, I would start to see that something good really did come out of it. I would never have thought this was even possible.
It’s important for me to share that even in an extremely difficult situation like this, there are some positive outcomes to be found, and life can go on afterward.
What went through your mind when you first received your diagnosis?
I was in complete shock and deeply afraid of dying. As I mentioned earlier, it felt like the end of the world to me. In those first days, I just cried and clung to my husband. We talked a lot and informed our family.
Just a few weeks before my diagnosis, I had received an offer to take over Head of Pharmaceutical Ingredients position (prior that, Andrea worked as Head of Commercial Law at Heraeus – author). The timing, work-wise, was very unfavorable, but when you receive a diagnosis like this, work is not the first thing on your mind.
Nevertheless, I thought about work very early on. Before the diagnosis, I had been incredibly happy and excited about the new work opportunity. I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime career chance, and then everything was shattered. Or at least that's what I thought. To my surprise, my future superior told me, “Focus on getting better – the job will be waiting for you.” This truly touched my heart, and even now, I get emotional thinking about it.
In general, everybody at work was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. Being able to stay in my job the whole time was a great help to me. Our brain can only do one thing at a time. And when you are discussing a tricky case with a colleague or celebrating the conclusion of a successful contract, fear and worry have to shut up.
I was also very open about my diagnosis, both with colleagues and customers. That approach felt right for me – I wanted to be authentic, but I also thought “I have cancer already. I do not also need to suffer an itchy wig!”
Finally, in May 2023, two years after my diagnosis, I started my new role. It was important to me to feel 100% ready after completing all my treatments, so I allowed myself plenty of time between the end of treatment and the start of the job.
What were some of the biggest emotional and physical challenges you faced during your treatment?
I must say I was very lucky, as physically, I had very few side effects and no severe ones. Of course, it doesn’t happen without leaving some traces – I still experience after-effects today – but they are manageable and something I can live with. It’s also important to remember that many people live with other chronic illnesses too.
Psychologically, however, I found it much harder. My treatment plan was long. It started with chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery and radiation, and then chemotherapy again. It felt endless.
While the healthcare system in Germany is excellent, offering high-quality treatments, it is completely overloaded. This means the staff often don’t have the time to provide personalized care. More often than not, I felt like I was being treated as an object or a case number rather than an individual with emotions and feelings.
Also, for me, and probably every affected individual, the cancer diagnosis felt like an absolute catastrophe that has to be treated immediately, but for the professionals treating us, it isn’t considered an emergency. This was made very clear to me. It’s a strong contrast in perspectives, one I am still striving to adjust to and which I could not accept at that time.
The hardest part of chemotherapy for me, by far, was the lack of control. Everything happening to me was out of my hands, and I couldn’t do anything about it. Suddenly, someone else was in charge of – literally – my life, and that was extremely hard to accept. And I felt like it was all over. Like I would never get my old life back. That being a cancer patient would always be like this sword of Damocles hanging over me, and I would always have to act accordingly, instead of just living. Because of this, I developed mild depressive tendencies by the end.
Even though my prognosis for recovery was very good from the beginning, I can now quote something someone else once said: “When you’re in the middle of it, you don’t believe the statistics.” For example, when I heard my disease pattern has a 95% chance of recovery, all I could think about was the 5% chance of death.
Were there any surprising sources of support or strength that helped you cope during your journey?
I wasn’t surprised that support was there, but I was surprised by the extent of it. People often say that the world has become a harsh place and that we no longer look out for each other. I experienced the opposite. My family was there for me, my husband, my friends, my colleagues, even people I hardly knew, or total strangers voiced encouragement and comfort. And it didn’t always have to be a conversation. With some, I went on long walks. I received flowers and cards. Sometimes, I even had to distance myself from all the support because it became overwhelming. And that, too, was really nice – it felt good to know people cared so much.
Another thing that helped me cope tremendously was sports. I was told that with breast cancer, physical activity has been shown to be incredibly effective in a positive way – it can increase healing chances by up to 50%!
I made a real effort to stay active. Of course, at times, jogging turned into walking, and when I wasn’t feeling well, I went horseback riding. Being with an animal brought an added layer of emotional support. That said, I never pressured myself to do a certain amount or meet any specific goals. I simply listened to my body and did what felt good.
Positive thinking is also important, but it’s crucial not to put pressure on yourself to always think positively. That can lead to stress when you feel like you can’t stay positive and worry you’re ruining your own healing chances. That mindset doesn’t help!
In my opinion, the most important thing is to have self-compassion and accept certain things as they come. Do what feels right for you and focus on what’s best for your well-being.
What lights you up at work today?
It’s inspiring to know that approximately every fourth chemotherapy treatment is made possible using the pharmaceutical ingredients we produce.
I am definitely proud to work in this field and to contribute to the development of life-changing products. It’s rewarding to know we’re playing a role in the global fight against cancer.
I think it’s a good thing I’m not in charge of investments at Heraeus, because I'd probably fund any idea for cancer treatment! Every time I see someone with a new idea for a medication, it represents new hope for patients to me.
How did your personal battle with cancer change you as a leader and your views on the entire industry?
It was a great training that I wouldn’t recommend! That said, I did gather a lot of expert knowledge while going through it.
I can be a demanding person. Towards myself and others. I believe that this experience has made me somewhat gentler, more empathetic, and more compassionate. I learned to recognize my own limits and how to respect them. Before – and even now – I’ve always seen myself as a high achiever. But when I couldn’t live up to those standards at one point, I had to come to terms with the fact that there are limits. I learned that even if I can only accomplish things within those limits, I am still good enough. Realizing that my worth is exactly the same, was incredibly powerful. This perspective continues to help me today – not only in acknowledging my own limits but also in understanding and respecting the limits of others.
On the topic of depression, I must admit that before this experience, I sometimes had an urge to tell people struggling with mental illness to “pull yourself together.” I now realize that was an uninformed, inconsiderate, and prejudiced view. I’ve come to understand that sadness and grief are very real emotions, and “pulling yourself together” isn’t always possible. Even when I did everything in my power to uplift myself – like meeting friends, staying active, or listening to my favorite music – I still experienced incredible sadness.
I don’t think I would have ever fully understood this if I hadn’t received the diagnosis and gone through all the treatments. Some things can only be truly comprehended through personal experience, no matter how much others explain them.
How do you see the future of cancer treatments evolving?
Maybe I’m not the best person to answer this, as in our daily business, we don’t work directly with the latest technologies for cancer care.
In my opinion, a cure for each and every type of cancer is unlikely to be developed because the types and root causes of cancer are simply too diverse. Nevertheless, I still hope for it. Instead, I believe the next goal should be – at least where prevention is not possible or was not successful – to transform cancer from a fatal illness into a chronic condition that can be managed – for example, similar to diabetes.
Of course, the ultimate goal is always full recovery. But for those who don’t achieve that, we should strive to reach a point where cancer is managed and people can live long, happy, and healthy lives also with cancer. Finally, my personal wish is that the next woman who hears she has a 95% survival rate can truly believe in it.
What advice would you give to cancer patients and their families who are going through this difficult journey?
In addition to physical treatment, I highly recommend seeking professional mental health support – not just for the patient but also for family members. While there can still be some stigma around seeking psychological help, if you’re battling cancer, forget the stigma – it’s about your well-being! And if you ever feel it’s not helpful, you can always stop.
Everyone has to find their own way of coping with the various aspects. And that is okay. I’ll give an example: for me, I decided from the start not to wear a wig. Instead, I had bold earrings on and went out just as I was. I also gave my cancer a name: Drecksding (filthy thing in English – author). People die from cancer, but nobody dies from Drecksding. I felt like I was taking away its ability to kill me. This all helped me to feel confident and in control, rather than a victim. But this approach may not suit everyone. My advice is simple: do whatever makes you feel good!
If you could say one thing to inspire others – both patients and professionals – what would it be?
To the professionals in this field, you are doing incredible work. It must be hard for you to bear so many sad stories and the constraints of an overwhelmed healthcare system. I send you my support and encourage you to keep striving for even better treatments.
To a fellow patient, I say: “I'm sorry you have to go through this too, and I wish you luck.” Apart from that? Well, nothing that someone else said helped me, really – I had to find my own words for myself. I will share them, hoping against hope, that they will help you a bit:
“I’m still in the middle of it, as I haven’t reached the five-year mark yet. While a cancer diagnosis changes your life, it doesn’t mean you can’t live a happy and meaningful life. Over time, the experience becomes part of you rather than defining your identity. I went through a phase where all I wanted was my old life back, but I’ve since realized that the new life I’ve started is just as good as the old one. My advice is to be generous and loving with yourself as you navigate this journey.”
Thank you Andrea, for these open and honest words!
