Danya “Alia” Banay’s health journey has led to an incredible outcome, but her gratitude lies with Bermuda and its incredible generosity.

She knew no one when she moved to the island three years ago to work as a nail technician. When Alia received the devastating news last May that she had stage 2 cervical cancer and required surgery, the community she had come to call home rallied around her.

The 33-year-old Filipina faced not only the shock of her diagnosis but also the panic of realising that her health insurance wasn’t enough to cover the life-saving treatment she needed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Upon hearing the news, Alia’s “adopted sister”, Nazma Amirali — a friend she made only last year — started fundraising.

She mobilised coworkers, customers and friends into action, raising nearly $40,000 on Alia’s behalf.

“I would never have expected it, because I've only been here for three years,” Alia said. “And the people who helped me, some of them have never met me. They just heard my name, saw the GoFundMe and gave money.”

She is sharing her story in hopes that it encourages women to “trust their instincts” when it comes to health issues. While working in Dubai before moving to Bermuda, doctors dismissed her complaints of blood spots as a urinary tract infection.

“They didn’t do a biopsy like they did here,” she said. “We all need to do regular checkups. If you feel something is wrong at a checkup, never go home. Make sure you have further tests, find out what's happening in your body. Ask questions.”

Her Bermuda GP became concerned when Alia began bleeding during a routine pap smear. A biopsy confirmed that she had cervical cancer.

“There is a history of cancer on my father’s side. My cousin and my uncle died from cancer. So I was [initially] sad because, of course, when you hear cancer, it means death, right? It’s a horrifying word,” Alia said.

“But it's a warning to correct your [health] and a blessing [because knowing gives] you a chance to say goodbye to your loved ones. We’re all going to die, we eventually will all depart, but before we die, we have to live.”

From that moment on she refused to feel sorry for herself.

“Doctors told me not to worry, that I was lucky to find it at an early stage and that I was young,” she said.

“So I accepted it. [No matter what the outcome] I knew I was blessed. I felt happy because of the people who surrounded me. God gave me this disease to make me special, and I felt really, really blessed because of the people here in Bermuda. I felt really special.”

With the right treatment, doctors predicted a 97 per cent chance of success. Alia’s insurance covered 60 per cent of the operation and various expenses. About $10,000 was raised through “word of mouth and lunches”. The GoFundMe Nazma created had a target of $40,000.

The operation in Massachusetts in November was successful at reducing the size of her tumour. Doctors will continue to monitor its progression closely over the next two years.

Alia was “happy” when she received the news. “I was crying too. I never expected the tumour wouldn’t become smaller, but I've been through a lot with this treatment. God gave me this second chance and God gave me this chance to do the treatment,” she said.

“I did chemotherapy already, and I had the surgery procedure in Boston, and now we're just waiting. The tumour is not gone, it’s still there, but it’s much smaller than before.”

Alia met Nazma through a community WhatsApp chat group and instantly became friends.

“Her genuine smile and kind nature won the hearts of our family very quickly. As we got to know her, we discovered that she's had to fend for herself from an early age after the loss of her mother and then later her grandmother, who was raising her,” Nazma wrote on the GoFundMe page designed to “help Alia kick cancer out”.

“Without family support, neither back home in the Philippines nor here in Bermuda, [where she is a guest worker in the cosmetology industry], we ‘adopted’ her as part of our family with my mom, Faiza, being her guardian and adviser.”

Although coping with an “aggressive” cancer was “hard”, Pals was a huge resource, guiding her with all the information she needed before she was “finally able to start her chemotherapy here in Bermuda, followed by radiation”, Nazma said.

Alia is also grateful for the support and treatment given by Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, her Muslim community and the staff at Brigham and Women’s.

Along with the news that the tumour had reduced came a recommendation to avoid sugar and cancer-promoting foods, and to maintain a consistent exercise routine to support her health. Alia will also continue to draw on the “strong faith” that has guided her through her journey so far.

“I submit myself to my Creator. Everyone has a journey, everyone has a different story. I always choose to be happy and positive every day.”