How vet student, Maia Farber, is facing her fears

It started with a lump on Mala Farber’s neck. She could tell it was there when she pressed for it, but it wasn’t readily apparent unless you knew what to look for. It was small and painless, so she wrote it off as just a quirk.

Then the weight loss and hair thinning started to occur. This gave Mala pause, but she was also a busy vet student with stressful exams always around the corner. Stress can also cause people to lose weight or even lose their hair, so why not her? She wrote it off as exam stress.

The problem never went away though, and neither did the fatigue or other symptoms. At a routine physical, she happened to remember the lump when she saw it in a mirror and also saw that it was firmer than usual. Mala mentioned it to her doctor. The doctor also hadn’t noticed the lump, but was able to detect it after feeling Mala’s neck. 

To Mala’s great surprise, she would later learn that this lump wasn’t just a natural quirk of her body. It was thyroid cancer.

Refusing to be beat

This isn’t the news anyone wants to hear, let alone a vet student. Mala felt shocked and angry when she received the news about her diagnosis. Luckily, she did not have to receive the diagnosis alone. Her boyfriend came with her, and supported her as she received the news about her cancer.

 Fortunately, Mala has been blessed with an extraordinary amount of tenacity, and despite her diagnosis she is focused on finishing her education.

She is currently attending the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine for her second year, and in the next 5 years she hopes to be a licensed veterinarian in the middle of her surgical residency. 

Pre-covid, Mala loved attending music festivals and thinks that everyone should experience a 3 day event at least once in their life. She hopes to be able to attend them again soon, and experience the wondrous combination of great food, great music, and the unique experience only a music festival can bring.

Like all vet students, and everyone in the vet industry, Mala has stressful days. When things get tough, she copes by spending time with her pets, watching Netflix, and face timing with her friends and family.

She’s always up for another adventure, and can’t wait for Covid restrictions to be over so she can see what the next road has to offer. 

 A bright future

Mala is confident that she has a bright future in medicine, and for good reason. She has a solid purpose in life that gives her a reason to get out of bed every morning, and that has helped her get through even on the toughest of days.

If she could advise other people, she would recommend that you find that purpose, because when you wake up every morning and know that you are going to make a difference in someone's life, you’ll be that much better prepared for the day’s challenges.