🎗️ Inspiring Resilience: Tina’s Pink October Story ✨

We are beyond thrilled to have Tina Choueiry Chagoury with us today, an extraordinary woman who has turned life’s challenges into sources of strength and inspiration. A Clinical Dietician who started her journey in 2005, Tina made a bold decision in 2018 to leave her full-time job and launch her own health consultancy—balancing her passion for health with the love and care of her family.

Her story took a powerful turn in 2019 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This life-changing moment not only shaped her personal journey but also fueled her mission to spread awareness and positivity to others.

In honor of Pink October, we are delighted to hear Tina share her courageous story of resilience, growth, and healing, while also encouraging everyone to prioritize their health by getting tested. Christine’s journey is a testament to strength, and we hope her story inspires others to take that vital step towards self-care and early detection.

1. Can you share a bit about your journey as a Clinical Dietician and what inspired you to start your own health consultancy?
   At 18 my intention was to study medicine, I applied to AUB without my parents’ knowledge just to see if I had what it takes to be accepted in preMed and I did get accepted but we dodn’t have the means to spend more than 3 years at AUB back then, so after I took Nut 101 and enjoyed it very much I decided to pursue my Bs in nutrition and dietetics then had my Hopital internship for 12 months and did my Masters in Public Health funded by my graduate assistantship. I worked for 13 years as chief clinical officer and clinical dietician in a health clinic & catering startup in Dubai before I decided in 2018 to give more time to my 2 children ( 4 and 9 then) and I setup my consultancy and started  giving my energy and time into my own company and created a framework that is now is my biggest strength and asset.
2. What was the most significant change you experienced when transitioning from a full-time role to becoming an entrepreneur?
   The joy of flexibility and accomplishment. I was able to spend time with my children and spend long lazy holidays with them for the first time since they were both born. I enjoyed the process of creating my own thing but did not enjoy the struggle and responsibility that came with it and the paperwork and financial instability: but it was all worth it in the end.
3. In 2019, you were diagnosed with breast cancer. Could you tell us about how you first received the news and how it impacted your mindset?
   I was spending the summer holidays with my family, i felt a lump, had it checked then 2 weeks, endless hospital hours and diagnostic tests and sleepless nights, later I found out I had stage 2 BC. The first few weeks were blurred and ugly. The uncertainty and the urgency of treatment felt very scary and unpleasant. Once I had a better outlook and a good prognosis from the medical team I took it on like a personal challenge and decided to give it my all. I relocated my kids and lived in Lebanon for 6 months until i finished chemotherapy and surgery then came back to Dubai for my radiotherapy.
4. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your cancer journey, both personally and professionally?
   Fear, anxiety and worry were the biggest challenges initially, then the physical impact of the treatment took over and it became a daily struggle to stay well and mov fwd with the treatment. Having relocated my children was an additional stress. My career was on hold and it felt even more stressful knowing when I’m back ill have to make up for the lost time and the missed opportunities. Towards the end of treatment I was a changed person- I reshuffled my priorities and decided to take it one day at a time and be more present. I was blessed with a second chance at life and never took this for granted since then.
5. How did your role as a mother and entrepreneur shape the way you approached your treatment and recovery process?
   Motherhood is the strongest driving force and source of resilience throughout my treatment and my life in general. There is no superior power to a mother fighting for her life to stay with her kids and continue being the everyday mother with the everyday duties as if there is nothing at all while going through the most atrocious physical and mental trauma.  Being an entrepreneur only meant i had less stress leaving a job or having to show up to my 9-5 while doing the treatment, i didn’t have many commitments yet as i had just started my consultancy to I was lucky to be able to take those 6 months completely off.
6. What message would you like to give women who may be hesitant about getting screened for breast cancer?
   Get yourself checked as you should, this is not a choice, this is your responsibility towards yourself and your family: it’s one of 2 outcomes- you either get a clear result and  you are relieved or you get a diagnosis early enough for a very successful treatment. The more consistent you are with your checks depending on your age, history and health in general the higher the chances are to get a very early detection (if ever).
7. What were some of the most important lifestyle changes you made to support your health after your diagnosis?
   A complete shift in my nutrition approach, my supplementation routine, my workout routine. I follow an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and have very consistent check ups. I am on a regular regime of meds and injections to keep my hormones in check. I worked with life coaches and psychotherapist and lots of yoga:)
8. How has your experience with breast cancer influenced the way you run your health consultancy today?
   I shifted my practice and specialized in functional hormones and women’s health to help myself and my women clients navigate their hormonal health, their treatments, their supplements, their weight, their food choices in the best ways. I am now a very strong advocate of anti-inflammatory living.
9. During Pink October, what advice do you have for women looking to adopt healthier habits and take preventive measures against breast cancer?
   Invest in a thorough one on one with a hormone specialist/ functional practitioner/clinical dietitian with good experience in hormone health and run the necessary tests, fix your supplement regime, change your eating routine if needed and follow up on your progress. Don’t rely on social media and google to get your diagnosis and your supplements and your diets.
10. Looking back on your journey, what has been the most empowering lesson you’ve learned, and how do you apply it in your life today?
    Life threw at me much bigger lessons than breast cancer. I lost my husband 2 years after my remission and my mother a few months ago and it’s the indefinite loss that breaks one’s soul and remold it again, not illness. Illness especially Breast Cancer has become incredibly curable when detected early, we shouldn’t give it more power than it has! What matters is for us to live the moment: Carpe Diem. I tattooed it on my body to remember to cease the day and remind my children of it. We have zero power over our past, we will never be able to control the future (we do our best to create the future we want) but our only gift is the present we really need to embrace it and embrace the people we love that are still with us.Follow her page here.