“Can you die from this? Then why aren’t you taking it seriously?”

We all think it could never happen to us. At least, that’s what most of us believe. But when you’re suddenly confronted with cancer, you have to decide what to do: face it head on or bow to it. Our colleague, Ildikó Kátai Perkátai, chose to face the greatest challenge of her life with courage: she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

“I couldn’t even say the word cancer for a long time. It would have made it feel too real, too final. If I only referred to it as a ‘malignant tumor’, I could keep the emotional weight of it at a distance,” recalls Ildikó Kátai-Perkátai, who noticed an unusual lump in her left breast during a routine self-exam. “At the time, I had just started training more seriously and was preparing for my first-ever 10‑kilometer run. I figured the race was the priority, and I would deal with the little lump afterward. If I even needed to deal with it, because I ran a much better time than expected. So I thought, This can’t be cancer. People with cancer are tired; they can’t run like this. And why would I burden the already overwhelmed healthcare system with a negative test result?”

Ildikó first visited her gynecologist, who immediately referred er for a mammography examination. During the imaging examination in November, she was told it was likely something serious, and the biopsy performed the next day confirmed it. She had a nearly two‑centimeter malignant tumor with lymph node involvement. “The oncology team reviewed my case before Christmas and decided on surgical treatment. It also turned out that the mammography of my right breast wasn’t unclear by accident. By December, a lump had appeared there too, and within a short time, it grew to almost one centimeter,” she recalled. Even she was surprised she didn’t break down when the diagnosis was delivered.

“I called three people: my husband, my mother, and then my boss, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to work on a usual way. Then I went to my son’s football match and cheered the whole time. Maybe that everyday momentum kept me from falling apart immediately. Of course, there were moments when I felt ‘stuck’, and I mostly felt sorry for myself. I kept thinking, This can’t be happening to me. This must be a dream I’ll wake up from. But no matter how hard I pinched myself, nothing changed. Not me, and not the tumor.”

That’s when her family and friends stepped in. Their support was invaluable. She and her husband also decided to wait until after the holidays to tell their children. “We wanted a peaceful, happy Christmas. We didn’t know what the next one would be like.”

In January, the next big step came: the surgical consultation. The surgeon recommended a mastectomy, removing the left breast and affected lymph nodes. The right breast, he said, could still be saved, but Ildikó wanted certainty and chose to have both breasts removed.

“I made the decision quickly. All I cared about was getting better, distancing myself from the disease as much as possible, and never again living in fear that it might return. I don’t regret it. What helped me survive was focusing on the present and on the next step. I felt calmer when I knew what was happening to me, what the upcoming test or procedure was, and why. My surgery was on February 2, 2024, and I only dared look in the mirror two days later, on the February 4, which I later learned is World Cancer Day. That’s when it hit me: This day will be the first day of the rest of my life. And I want to live so that I never regret a single moment of it. I felt I had made it through the hardest part.”

Throughout her illness, the mother of three children stayed active. That energy kept her going through the toughest times. Her colleagues and boss supported her, and during her recovery and treatment she was allowed to work remotely, yet she was still treated as a full, valuable member of the team.

After the operation came the wait for the pathology results, which would determine further treatment. “Because of the lymph node metastases, I was sure I’d need chemotherapy. I started preparing myself mentally. We even sat down with the kids to talk about what to expect. They were very understanding, and my teenage son asked that if possible, I also wear a wig at home. Then one day, my youngest asked, ‘Can you die from this disease?’ I told him yes, some people do. And he asked, ‘Then why aren’t you taking it seriously?’”

Fortunately and thanks to her doctors a genetic test showed that chemotherapy wasn’t necessary. “Radiation therapy was enough, and the only side effect was some fatigue.”

Her optimism remained intact. “During the treatments, I tried to stay cheerful and positive, and inside, I refused to let the disease define me. I laughed, enjoyed things, got annoyed just like before. I was incredibly proud when my kids said they admired my attitude and saw me as their role model. As a parent, you couldn’t wish for greater recognition.”

Another important step was planning her reconstructive surgeries. Each breast had to be rebuilt separately, using different techniques. For the right side, where little muscle and skin remained, tissue from her back was used. For the left, which had the larger tumor, surgeons first inserted an expander, then an implant. “This way, at least I get to experience both versions,” she laughed. Her first question after each surgery was, “When can I run again?” And the reconstructions were so successful that she was back to running just weeks later.

She also made major lifestyle changes: eating more varied foods, lots of vegetables and fruits, less meat, avoiding sugar and white flour, and focusing on natural, high-quality, fiber-rich nutrients.

“I read a lot about how cancer develops. It’s surprising, but it only takes one tiny cell behaving differently. Our bodies encounter this all the time, but normally the immune system reacts immediately. When that fails, trouble begins. We can’t stop cells from going rogue, but we can do a lot to keep our immune system strong.”

She believes regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes per week)m significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer and other malignancies. Diet, stress reduction, mental well‑being, and proper sleep are all crucial factors we can influence.

Today, Ildikó is symptom‑free, though she won’t officially be considered recovered for several years. In the past two years, she has learned not only about her illness but also about herself.

“Let’s not bury our heads in the sand. Let’s talk about our problems and dare to ask for help. This strange turn in my life pushed me to reevaluate the importance of human connections and honest feedback. One of my roommates in the hospital decided to accept chemotherapy after talking with me. And a woman in our friend group went for a cancer screening examination because of my example.”

She emphasizes the importance of screening. Hungary diagnoses 7,000–8,000 new breast cancer cases each year, which means 1 in 10 women is likely to be affected. All women over 45 are entitled to free screening, yet very few go. Early detection not only provides peace of mind but drastically improves treatment outcomes.

Use the opportunity for screening. It saves lives.

Ildikó shared her story in a podcast, not just about illness, but about courage, the will to live, and what it really means to face something people are often afraid even to name.

Listen to our podcast conversation with Ildikó. A story not only about illness, but about bravery, the will to live, and what it truly means to face something that many people are afraid even to name.

Ildikó’s inspiring and captivating story is one of those we are sharing this March, as we celebrate Women’s Month at evosoft.

Corporate-supported health prevention - an investment in our colleagues and in the future

At evosoft, we have always placed strong emphasis on our colleagues’ mental and physical well‑being, supporting all dimensions of health, and highlighting the importance of prevention. Our employees work flexible hours and can tailor their home‑office arrangements to their individual needs, typically spending two days in the office and three days working from home each week.

We also support our employees through a range of benefits and discounts focused mainly on maintaining their health. A dedicated internal working group promotes the company’s modern, inclusive and supportive health prevention programmes. As part of these efforts, they launch initiatives that raise awareness of topics such as healthy nutrition, stress‑management strategies and practices, and the health benefits of regular physical activity.

According to the feedback of both long‑standing and newly joined colleagues, our corporate health insurance package is one of our most highly valued benefits. We provide it to all employees, including those on maternity leave. We also continuously work to create ergonomic work environments, contribute to the cost of eyewear needed for healthy vision, and offer sports‑related options through our flexible benefits package.

We firmly believe that true performance goes hand in hand with the health and balance of our employees. Our corporate health prevention programmes are an investment in our colleagues’ well‑being , the company’s performance and the strength of our community.

The evoHealth working group also strives to highlight role models within the evosoft community: individuals whose personal journeys, experiences and insights inspire others.

One such role model is Ildikó Kátai‑Perkátai, a breast cancer survivor who chooses to speak openly and honestly about her illness. She shares how she faced her diagnosis and reflects on the nearly two‑year journey since then. She also talks about how her family, including her children, experienced this period and the impact it had on them.

Ildikó has inspired the entire evosoft community – and many beyond it – with her story of courage and the will to live. Through her openness, she offers a glimpse of what it truly means to face an experience that many people are afraid even to speak about.