Donjeta Zeqa: Love yourself and run after your dreams but never forget to be careful for your health!
Are you ready to answer any questions or you gonna hide your life?
hahaha… It depends on your questions. In general I don`t hide my life but there are some informations which doesn’t matter for others.
Tell Me About Yourself?
I`m Donjeta – but my friends and family call me Dona. I`m journalist and these years also a very active patient advocate. I`m the president of Europa Donna Albania – a patient organization for Breast Cancer patients, which is a sub branch of “Europa Donna”, a European non-profit organization composed of many sub branches all over Europe. And from 2020 we are also member of ‘Think Pink Europe’.
I`m doing them both: journalism and patient advocacy. I never give up on one or another.
I can`t talk about myself without mentioning my profession and my passion, so that`s why I started with them.
I also like art, music, fashion and travelling and I try to follow these kind of passions in my free time.
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Everything that surrounds me, but especially personal stories. When I create something: a campaign or an activity or everything else, in my mind there is every time someone, a story!
Why Do You Want This Job?
It is very difficult to explain: you just feel it!
But I would like to mention that, when I started to involve with advocacy, in the very beginning – the reason of it, was my mother. And is still my mother. But during the years, I met a lot of Breast Cancer patients and all together made a change – big or small it doesn`t matter – in their life and other patient’s life.
And this means a lot to me. To us!
These kind of causes need a strong heart. You can`t imagine how many difficulties BC patients face here in Albania and you need to have a strong heart to cope with a lot of stories. Sometimes, it wasn`t (and still it is not) very easy for me, because I was very young when I started to fight for them. I didn’t know a lot of things in the beginning, we grew up together, me and EDA. But I will never give up, because I have someone in my family who fighted with this terrible disease. My mum is a breast cancer survivor. My aunts too. Also, after 5 years with Europa Donna Albania, I have now a lot of friends with BC, and we will continue our fight!
What turns you off?
The system here! Sometimes also the people. I have seen in different countries that people are more engaged with these kind of organizations and causes. Here in Albania it is difficult. Maybe the mentality and the lack of trust. They always want to know the way how you are helping them and why, and not just accepting it.
What is your favorite virtue?
I don`t know, maybe this is something that others should say. But I think my heart and goodness.
What do you think about people who lost our codes?
I hope they will find them. Firstly for themselves. If they can be good for themselves, they will be for us – as society- for sure.
Are you happy today?
This is a difficult question. I don`t know if I`m happy, but I try everyday to be happy and to make others happy.
Tell Me About a Time You Failed?
I don`t want to think or talk about people, who made me experienced these feelings.
But, there are some moments when we don`t “win” above the system, and patients don`t take the treatment or the service – and this is a kind of “failure” which make me and our staff stronger than before, to fight for BC patient’s rights.
What Motivates You?
Good results.
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
I can`t say hahaha. I`m a person who make plans, but I don`t like to talk about them without realizing them.
What you can say to your followers?
ahahah oh, I`m not that kind of person with a lot followers. But, for all those who follow me on my work, on my advocacy program I want to say to all of them: Thank You. Your support means a lot to me, it gives me strength to fight more for this category of patients.
Love yourself and run after your dreams but never forget to be careful for your health!
