When I first came to Dubai, I arrived as a healthy individual, ready to start a new chapter. Like anyone adapting to a new continent — the cuisine, the air, the weather, even the pace of life — my body was adjusting. In the early stages, the tumor I had acquired seemed to grow slowly. Then COVID hit. And just like that, everything shifted. For some, health improved during lockdown. For others, it declined. For me, the lack of regular checkups, combined with stress, uncertainty, and being cut off from my family abroad, created the perfect storm. My discipline slipped, my nutrition wasn’t where it had been, and stress became constant. Looking back now, I see how all these factors gave this “animal” the space to grow. Not being monitored, not accessing doctors easily, and simply trying to survive in an unexpected new reality all had an impact. This chapter of my journey is a reminder: health is not just about the body. It’s about environment, stress, connection, discipline, and access....