17 Years of Purpose: Shivaani’s Journey of Making a Difference
For some, a workplace is where a career begins. For Shivaani, Cancer Research Malaysia (CRMY) became something much more.
It became a place where she grew as a scientist, discovered her purpose, built lifelong friendships and, unexpectedly, met the person who would eventually become her husband.
With husband- Sanjeevan, at CRMY 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner in August 2026.
On 15 July 2009, a young Shivaani walked through the doors of what was then known as the Cancer Research Initiatives Foundation (CARIF), fresh from studying Genetics and Molecular Biology at Universiti Malaya. She had always been fascinated by human genetics and its role in diseases such as cancer, and an industrial training opportunity at CRMY introduced her to breast cancer research.
More than 17 years later, she is still here.
“I was very young, just about to complete my first degree,” Shivaani recalls.
What began as an opportunity to gain experience gradually became a long commitment to cancer research. She continued with the Breast Cancer Research Group and, over the years, found herself drawn towards questions that extended beyond the laboratory, questions about cancer risk, prevention and how research could ultimately improve outcomes for people.
The last week at Shivaani’s old office and lab at SJMC’s 2nd floor, Outpatient Centre, as they packed up and prepared to move into our new space.
As a postdoctoral scientist in CRMY’s Cancer Prevention and Population Science Research Unit, Shivaani has focused on lifestyle and genetic factors, as well as mammographic information, and their association with breast cancer risk among Malaysian women.
For her, the relevance of this work is deeply personal.
Breast cancer screening uptake among Malaysian women remains low, and one of the challenges is that many women may not know their individual risk. Shivaani hopes that her work at CPSS will contribute towards more accurate breast cancer risk prediction tools that could one day help Asian women make more informed decisions about screening and prevention.
The science may involve genetics, epidemiology, data and years of research but at its heart, it is about people.
It is about helping us understand cancer better, detecting it earlier where possible, and ultimately improving outcomes for Malaysians and Asians.
Shivaani with members of the Breast Cancer Research Team.
Growing with purpose
Shivaani at a fundraising concert in November 2023, featuring the Selangor Philharmonic Orchestra and piano soloist Prof Dr Thevi Thanigasalam, held at Dewan MBPJ to raise funds for CRMY and the Malaysian Association for the Blind, alongside colleagues and supporters.
Seventeen years in research have taught Shivaani that progress does not always happen in a straight line.
There have been projects that required months of laboratory work and data analysis, only for them not to move forward. There have been research questions that changed along the way. There have been uncertainties and setbacks.
But these experiences have shaped the scientist she is today.
“I have learned that setbacks are a significant part of cancer research, and it is how you respond that really matters,” she says.
CRMY has taught her resilience, perseverance and the importance of rising to a challenge.
Yet perhaps what has kept her going for so many years is something even more fundamental… purpose.
“What keeps me motivated is the desire to better understand cancer and the hope to improve outcomes for Asians,” Shivaani shares.
Shivaani at the Terry Fox Run at Kepong Metropolitan Park, KL, with current and past CRMY staff.
After 17 years, there are still unanswered questions waiting to be explored and that is precisely what continues to excite her about coming to work every day.
A Malaysian journey
As Malaysia celebrates Hari Malaysia, Shivaani’s story also reflects something close to the heart of the celebration: the strength that comes from people coming together with a shared purpose.
“Malaysia is home to me. It is where I was born and raised, and where my family is,” she says.
That sense of home is also reflected in what CRMY means to her.
To Shivaani, CRMY is a home-grown research organisation that has grown over 25 years from addressing the lack of research on oral cancers in the region to tackling other cancers that require attention across this part of the world.
And she has witnessed much of that journey herself.
She has worked alongside scientists, researchers, healthcare professionals and experts from different disciplines, learning that bringing diverse expertise together can help research move further and faster.
“CRMY is a home-grown research organisation… built primarily by Malaysians, for Malaysians,” she says. “We believe that together, we can make a difference.”
That belief in collective effort is particularly meaningful because cancer does not belong to one community, one profession or one part of the country. Tackling it requires people from different backgrounds and disciplines to come together, with researchers asking the questions, healthcare professionals bringing care closer to communities, and supporters making the work possible.
And Shivaani has spent 17 years playing her part in that collective effort.
And somewhere along the way…
There is another chapter in Shivaani’s CRMY journey, one that began on an ordinary working day when a new colleague joined the organisation.
Her first impression of Jeevan was simple: pleasant and approachable.
They worked in different areas and did not interact much professionally at first. Over time, they became friends, and that friendship naturally evolved into something more.
Today, they are husband and wife and both continue to serve CRMY, in very different ways.
Both Shivaani & Sanjeevan celebrating their wedding with past and present CRMY colleagues and family-bringing together the people who have been part of their journey over the years.
While Shivaani works in science, Jeevan works in donor engagement. Their perspectives may be different, but they are connected by the same organisation and, ultimately, the same purpose.
For Shivaani, CRMY has been a place of discovery, growth and belonging. It has given her opportunities to learn from leading scientists, meaningful friendships and experiences that have shaped different stages of her life.
Most importantly, it has given her a place where she feels she has been able to contribute towards something bigger than herself.
“I hope that I can contribute towards creating a future that is free from the fear of cancer for Malaysians.”
And perhaps that is what makes 17 years more than just a milestone.
It is 17 years of choosing to keep asking questions.
17 years of learning, persevering and pushing forward.
17 years of dedicating her knowledge and time towards a future where cancer can be prevented, detected earlier and treated more effectively.
And, unexpectedly, 17 years that led her to a life partner who is also walking alongside her in the same mission.
This is Shivaani’s story.
But there is another side to this journey; Jeevan’s story, and how he found his own place in CRMY.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
Together, we can make a difference
Stories like Shivaani’s are made possible not by one person alone, but by a community that believes cancer research matters.
For 25 years, CRMY’s work has been strengthened by the generosity of our donors, supporters, partners, corporations, foundations, government bodies and the wider Malaysian community.
Your support enables our scientists to continue asking important questions, pursuing new discoveries and turning research into meaningful impact for Malaysians and Asians.
As we celebrate Hari Malaysia, we invite you to continue standing with us in this shared mission.
Because when Malaysians come together with a common purpose, we can create a future with better outcomes and one that is free from the fear of cancer.
Thank you for being part of our journey.