Eight years ago, Linda Loprasert’s life took a sudden and devastating turn when she began experiencing memory loss and hallucinations. At just 26 years old, she received life-changing news that would impact her career and personal life in ways she never imagined. Over the past eight years, Loprasert has been hired and fired fourteen times, including being let go from four jobs on her first day.
Linda Loprasert’s Devastating Diagnosis
Loprasert, once a successful client service executive who had built her company’s first CRM system, was enjoying a promising career when a terrifying diagnosis derailed her life. After noticing her memory slipping and experiencing hallucinations, she visited her general practitioner and was immediately referred for an MRI brain scan.
The results were sobering. A large grey mass was visible on the scan, and Loprasert was diagnosed with germinoma, a type of brain cancer. Germinomas typically affect working and visual memory and the brain’s processing speed. In Loprasert’s case, the tumour was growing near her hypothalamus, the area responsible for memory.
Although the tumour’s location made surgical removal too risky, it responded well to treatment. Loprasert underwent three rounds of chemotherapy and a month of radiation therapy, which ultimately shrunk the tumour. Despite this, her life was forever changed.
Life After Treatment: The Struggle to Rebuild
According to an interview with Metro, Loprasert’s fight against cancer lasted 18 months, and while she was declared cancer-free, re-entering the workforce in 2015 proved to be far more challenging than she anticipated. The cognitive effects of her treatment lingered, particularly affecting her short-term memory. Determined not to let her illness define her, Loprasert decided not to disclose her medical history during job interviews, fearing it would harm her chances of securing employment.
However, the reality of her condition became evident once she started working. After just one day on the job, Loprasert was fired from four jobs, and over the next eight years, she would be fired 14 times.
Loprasert’s struggle with memory loss forced her to take extreme measures in her work life. She started carrying a pen and paper to write everything down and created an extensive filing system to organise her daily tasks. According to her, this system spanned ten folders, each with monthly subfolders, and every day had its own detailed Word document. Despite her efforts, her memory lapses continued to affect her ability to perform in the workplace.
Emotional and Professional Toll
Loprasert admits that coming to terms with her cognitive limitations was a long and painful process. In an interview with Metro, she described how her inability to retain information cost her jobs and strained her personal relationships. It took years for her to accept that her memory issues were permanent, a realisation that was both heartbreaking and freeing.
With a clearer understanding of her limitations and a newfound sense of peace, Loprasert has embraced a new chapter in her life. In August, she published a book titled Memory Fail, detailing her experiences living with memory loss after surviving brain cancer. “My purpose for publishing it is to show other brain cancer patients that they are not alone in their struggles,” she said.
Overcoming Adversity Through Entrepreneurship
In the aftermath of her cancer battle and her struggle to maintain stable employment, Loprasert may want to opt for online entrepreneurship instead of a regular 9-to-5. Many women facing adversity have found solace and success by starting their own businesses from home, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One such example is Kiana Gomes, founder of the Cocktail Bomb Shop. Gomes’ business started in her kitchen and became such a success that it appeared on season 17 of Dragon’s Den. Similarly, Dr. Shelly Nuruzzaman turned her maternity leave into an opportunity to launch BANG! Curry is a thriving online business that partners with major companies like HelloFresh.
Lisa Fink’s journey is another example of turning hardship into opportunity. When her husband lost his job, Fink, a middle school teacher, started creating educational games for children. Her online business, Think Tank Teacher, now generates five figures, and she offers printable educational resources to thousands of customers.
These stories highlight how online businesses can provide financial independence and flexibility, particularly for women facing personal or professional challenges. Loprasert’s journey toward healing and rediscovery may lead her down a similar entrepreneurial path.
