For 48-year-old Jasmeet Kaur, a mother of two teenage children, the upcoming Deepavali festival marks a new but grim milestone: living with breast cancer.
The abrupt diagnosis was discovered just a few months ago, amidst the normalcy of her life as a primary school teacher.
“In a week, I had to stop working and figure out a new life,” she said, adding, “I didn’t have time to digest anything until I finished my first chemotherapy. That was how rushed everything was.”
Health challenges, she said, are not entirely new to her.
Carrying a genetic condition that runs through her family line, Ms Jasmeet saw the same predisposition that saw her late mother battle colorectal cancer.
After her mother passed away in 2016 at the age of 62, Ms Jasmeet proactively had her own preventive procedure.
Yet facing her own breast cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy presented a fresh, formidable reality.
“Every day is a tough day, but we’ll get through that day and be happy with that,” she shared.
Even while managing the physical toll of her treatments—now approaching her sixth round—Ms Jasmeet chose not to let her circumstances dim the festive season.
Grounded in the Sikh concept of Chardi Kala - maintaining a rising spirit - she looks forward to Deepavali, turning the occasion into an anchor of optimism.
“Basically it’s about always staying positive and refusing to give in to negativity,” Ms Jasmeet explained.
The celebration of Deepavali, she said, provides a golden opportunity to affirm her resilience.
“I don’t want to give in and say I’m not going to celebrate it. I need the lift from going and forcing myself to decorate the house, purchasing decorations, spending the time to liven up the house.”
Growing up in Marine Vista at Neptune Court in the 1970s and 1980s, festive seasons were defined by community and a warm, close-knit atmosphere. Her late mother was a skilled cook whose hospitality drew aunts, cousins, and neighbours together for celebratory feasts.
“My mom was an excellent cook, so she was always cooking a variety of food,” Ms Jasmeet recalled. “And then all the aunts, all the relatives would come over to visit. The togetherness made it special.”
While compromises must be made this year because her immune system is weakened from treatment, Ms Kaur determinedly ensures that the festive warmth remains alive in her household.
Rather than labouring over elaborate traditional delicacies, the family adapted with modern adjustments, incorporating store-bought treats alongside homemade favourites.
She also prioritised picking out new festive attire for her daughters and husband on her good days.
Ms Kaur, who lives at Lengkok Tiga, added that she tries to decorate to the level she finds manageable.
“It might not be the best, but at least there’s a festive and happy vibe at home. Little personal touches, like ensuring that my daughters and husband have new outfits for the occasion, lend normalcy, which is so important to me this year.”
Her husband, 49-year-old entrepreneur Harveen, expressed his deep appreciation for Ms Kaur’s determination and her spirit of wanting to celebrate the occasion.
For the Sikh community, the day coincides with Bandhi Chhor Divas, commemorating the historical release of 52 imprisoned kings by the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind.
“Bandhi Chhor literally means liberation, or breaking free of bonds,” Mr Harveen said. “Many of the celebrations share this idea of a victory of light over darkness. So there’s lighting of lamps as well, but primarily we mark the occasion in the gurdwara, with the community.”
He also highlighted how the festive celebrations bridge communities across Singapore’s diverse cultural landscape, seeing neighbours and families from varying traditions come together.
“We are Singaporean, and we have the benefit of multicultural and multi-faith exposure,” Harveen reflected. “It is important, and Deepavali gives us a great occasion to strive to find commonality.”
For Ms Kaur, facing a life-altering illness has distilled celebration down to its purest essentials: cherishing family, keeping faith, and choosing gratitude.
“Deepavali for me is about finding peace and being grateful no matter what happens,” she said. “Be happy always!”
