National Cancer Awareness Day: Stories Of Brave Survivors

Fighting cancer is an extreme test of mental and physical determination. Only those who have survived through it can tell how hard their journey was. The before and after cancer life has an enormous difference. Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Union Health Minister in 2014 announced 7th November as the National Cancer Awareness Day.  The step aims to spread awareness about early detection of cancer and avoiding a cancer-prone lifestyle. On this National Cancer Awareness Day, let's look at the brave cancer survivors and their inspiring stories.

Farida Rizwan

Cancer hit her hard at a very difficult time of her life. She had a son of 4 years, an 11-month daughter and a sister fighting breast cancer. What followed was a courageous struggle by Farida fighting cancer for her kids. After a total radical mastectomy, and 12 doses of chemotherapy, Farida emerged as a brave survivor. "Before cancer, my life was like money won in lottery. But after diagnosis, it was like hard earned money. I started loving and respecting myself more," Farida says.

Polly Sen

This 54-year-old breast cancer survivor turned the odds in her favour. At first, the news was shattering. To keep her mind away from the dreaded disease, Polly turned towards cooking. Participating at a local food festival gave her just the right push. She now has a restaurant with 14 employees. Polly has also tied up with a food delivery app to increase her business.

Navjot Kaur

Navjot received the news of having a tumour in her stomach on her birthday. All she wanted was to complete her MTech. She was diagnosed with stage III cancer. She didn't tell her teachers about her cancer, till she completed her thesis and gave her presentation. Staring with a small reading time daily and increasing it to two hours, she gradually fought for her dream. Navjot now looks towards completing her PhD from PEC.

Parul Banka

A week before her turning 34 in 2012, Parul was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. After having a successful career in Human Resources and learning & development, her life suddenly took a drastic turn. Parul insisted on writing a book spreading awareness about cancer as she knows the social stigma associated with it. ‘My Cancer Journey – A Rendezvous with Myself’ is a source of inspiration and guide to all battling the disease.

Sirisha Mehtani

Despite having a tumour and a neurological disorder since 2016, this young girl is a fighter. She scored 97.4% despite fighting cancer. Her grit and determination made her school and parents proud. Getting a supportive environment around, she fights her battle valiantly. Sirisha is very optimistic and aims to be a doctor.

More power to these brave women and more such bold survivors!

Also Read: What Support Do Breast Cancer Patients Want? Food, Rides & Prayer

Rachna Chandira is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv