UAE nurses bid tearful farewell to Kerala nurse in Dubai after silent cancer battle
DOZENS of nurses from hospitals across the UAE gathered in Dubai on Saturday afternoon to say a final goodbye to Soumya Augustine, an Indian expat nurse from Kerala who died after a long, silent battle with lung cancer.
Soumya, a nurse in the cardiology department of Rashid Hospital in Dubai, died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the emirate. Her family and closest friends were beside her in her final moments.
She was 41 and is survived by her husband and three young children.
Friends, family and colleagues describe a woman who carried her illness quietly and never let her smile slip.
Chance diagnosis during Covid-19
Soumya was part of the team caring for heart patients even as she quietly fought her own illness.
Her disease was detected during a routine test at the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thanks to the early diagnosis, she received treatment and remained free of symptoms for some years. Lately, however, the cancer relapsed, and she recently took sick leave to focus on her treatment.
Her youngest child was only a few months old when she was first diagnosed, according to one of her grieving colleagues.
"Yet, she never let her disease be an issue or complaint. Hers was a silent battle. She always wore that smile till that evening on Thursday," she said.
Farewell at the embalming centre
Funeral prayers were held at the embalming centre in Al Muhaisnah on Saturday afternoon.
Nurses from Rashid Hospital and several other UAE hospitals attended, along with her family.
Many members of the nursing fraternity of her church in Sharjah, and other church members, also joined the prayers.
Several members of Emirates Malayali Nurses Family (EMNF), a social network for thousands of Malayali nurses working in the UAE, also took part.
Her body was repatriated on Saturday night. Mourning friends and relatives bade her a tearful farewell, and her husband and children accompanied her mortal remains to Kerala, where her funeral is scheduled to be held.
Tributes pour in
Siyad K Jamaludeen, president of EMNF, said Soumya was a favourite of all her colleagues. "So many of them attended the funeral prayer. Rashid Hospital arranged a bus to bring her colleagues to the centre," he said.
The group paid tribute to her and extended heartfelt condolences to her family.
"You faced life's challenges with incredible strength, grace and a smile. Your courage, positivity and kind heart inspired everyone around you. You will always be remembered as a true fighter – someone who never gave up, even in the hardest times," the group said in its message.
Another tribute by nursing colleagues read: "Today, we remember you – not with sadness alone, but with deep gratitude for the beautiful person you were. You were a kind, caring and compassionate soul, always putting others before yourself. Your smile could brighten the darkest days, and your warm heart made everyone around you feel valued, supported and loved.
"You gave your best in everything you did – as a dedicated nurse, a responsible professional, a loving daughter, a caring family member and a true friend. Your strength, patience and positive spirit were an inspiration to so many."
