Together We Thrive

Samina's journey with Cancer

with Julie Siddiqi and Friends Season 1 Episode 3

Our conversation today is with Samina Hussain. .

Born and brought up in Slough, Samina takes us back to her childhood sharing fond memories and then helps us look into the window of her world working for the Local Authority, empowering women and working to support migrants and refugees.  She married at 16 and she shares some of how her early experiences shaped who she is today. 

Then in August 2014, Samina found a lump in her breast and was told she had cancer. 

She talks powerfully about those early days, how she processed it, how others around her did too and the role her Islamic faith played in all of that. 

She used social media as part of her coping strategy and has gone on to set up a charity, Sakoon Through Cancer, supporting particularly South Asian women to navigate their cancer journeys through the stigma, shame and taboos that often surround the topic in some communities and families. 

Her optimism and positivity is infectious, she inspires anyone who hears her talk about her life and this journey with cancer and she absolutely lives out her favourite saying “It’s not about waiting for the storm to pass…. it’s about learning to dance in the rain”.  

With subjects like cancer, people can feel alone and not know who to turn to.  Thank you to Samina and her team of awesome volunteers for all they do to make sure people know they are never alone and that it is OK not to be OK. 

To find out more about Sakoon Through Cancer visit their website or social media channels. 

Connect with them if you can volunteer or support them in any other ways.  

Sakoon Website

Sakoon Facebook page

Sakoon Instagram


People on this episode