Cancer is NOT DEATH!

Cancer is NOT DEATH!

RATNADEEP BANERJI says that  Cancer is certainly fatal if not treated or even if treated improperly. With proper treatment survival span considerably increases.

Cancer is certainly fatal if not treated or even if treated improperly. With proper treatment survival span considerably increases. Sometimes even after complete cure there is a relapse. There is unanimous medical opinion that early detection and proper treatment means survival and not death.

In India, cancer is taking the shape of an epidemic. In next 15 years cancer if tackled with the present concern shall emerge as a cataclysmic malady. Surprisingly some of the cancers in India are more aggressive than the west affecting at a younger age and the spread of cancer is highly susceptible. Why is hepatobilliary cancer (involving liver, gall bladder and pancreas) more common in India than the west? ‘Cancer in India has to be studied with Indian milieu. Indian specific guidelines are lacking’, says Subhojit Dey, an oncologist with Public Health Foundation of India.

2nd lead 3Verily the cancer landscape of India is slipshod. Pyscho-oncology is almost non-existent in India. Distress management and care-giving is rather ineptly done. While most of the developed countries include cancer under the Disability Act and provide for appropriate rehabilitation facilities and human resources; we in India are yet to even initiate a debate on such issues. Stigma and discrimination remains very much associated with cancer and how human rights of cancer patients are violated even at workplace, a blot on our culture.

The President of Cancer Care India, Dr Jitendra Kumar Singh puts it, ‘I know, as an oncologist that one-third of all the cancer is preventable, another one-third can be cured if detected early and the remaining one-third cancer patients can lead a pain free life till death. Cancer survivors should share their life experience in various platforms to dispel the myths about cancer among people.’

The treacherous tentacles of cancer spare none. Dr Arpita Roy was diagnosed with Stage IV B cervical cancer in 2005 while working as resident house officer in medicine and cardiology at the Countess of Chester Hospital, UK. Doctors gave her six months, but after her treatment at AIIMS Delhi, she recovered fully and went back to the UK. The cancer came back. After fighting bravely for another two and half years and cancer won the battle.

Vision Paradise has instituted an award in memory of Dr Arpita Roy for cancer doctors working in Bihar and Jharkhand. Dr Sunita Roy looking back says, ‘The plight of cancer patients in metro cities made us realize that there is a real need to understand the main reasons for patients coming to metro. We believe that our humble initiative would recognize and motivate doctor working  in this field who would produce a study suggesting ways to change the present scenario of cancer screening, detection and treatment in their day to day practice and promote affordable and timely medical care for cancer patients in their home state’.

2nd lead 1About her attacks with cancer Anagha Ghosh says, ‘Cancer has enriched my life in more than many ways. I had utilized the recuperating time in penning down my experiences of cancer in the form of a book, ‘Face to face with cancer’. In 2008, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Within two years she was back to work but soon again in 2012, on the way back home after book release function, she had bouts of repeated coughing. She now had lung metastasis. She received treatment and continued her desk work. Within a year, in 2013 she had very blurred vision and weakness in right hand. She had 4 lesions in the right brain. In a rare case, ovarian cancer had reached brain. She maintains, ‘I am keen to find out about status of certain human rights of cancer survivors in India.’ National Cancer Survivor Day falls on June 2.

S.P. Goel passed away this year living up to 92 years. Way back in 1979, he had throat cancer and underwent surgical operation.  His vocal cord had to be removed. He regained his speech some time after being fitted with electronic device obtained from the US. During his treatment, he was pained by seeing the plight of rural people coming from remote areas, who after surgical removal of their vocal cords had no way to communicate, because the expensive electronic device was only procured from the USA and he decided to help these patients. In January 1980, he formed a registered charitable society, Laryngectomee Club of India to rehabilitate surgically operated throat cancer patients in India and restore their ability to communicate and speak by using electronic speech aid called electro larynx instrument. The implant has to be inserted in the wind pipe and the patient needs to be rendered training by speech therapists.

S. P. Goel took up cudgels for laryngectomee to be included in the list of disabled persons and artificial electronic larynx be provided to them under the scheme for ‘assistance to disabled persons for purchase / fitting of aids / appliances. In 1983, the government conceded to his demand. Cancer Care India along with National Cadet Corps have been conducting cancer awareness programs about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption by youth.

Anagha Ghosh – ‘Cancer has enriched my life in more than many ways….I had utilized the recuperating time in penning down my experiences of cancer in the form of a book, ‘Face to face with cancer’. In 2008, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Within two years she was back to work but soon again in 2012, on the way back home after book release function, She had bouts of repeated coughing. She now had lung metastasis. She received treatment and continued her desk work. Within a year, in 2013 she had very blurred vision and

weakness in right hand. She had 4 lesions in the right brain. In a rare case, ovarian cancer had reached brain. ‘I am keen to find out about status of certain human rights of cancer survivors in India.’

The story of SCN Chaudhuri is worth relating. He retired in 1998. He spent the better part of his working life with the Indian tobacco Company. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 49. He took to cancer counseling to guide people who were going through the same phase in life as they had. Unfortunately his wife abruptly got diagnosed with cancer and passed away within two weeks.  In 2012, Mr Chaudhuri was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. He fought with it for a year. He survived cancer for 25 years.

The scourge of cancer is such that it spares none. Jyotsna Govil, the honorary secretary of Indian cancer says, ‘I know so many young doctors of breast cancer who have successfully battled cancer.’ Jyotsna Govil laments over the discrimination meted out to cancer patients in their workplace. She squarely points out at the defunct yardstick – ‘Why this penalizing over cancer?’

This circle brings together patients, their families, local residents, oncologists, medical professionals, care givers, support organisations with the cause of cancer in Delhi/NCR. This circle is presented to the residents of Delhi/NCR by Local Circles in partnership with Indian Cancer Society, an NGO dedicated to eliminating cancer. ICS has several initiatives like Cancer Sahyog that provides support to patients and Prashanti is the healing center offering complimentary therapies and others related to body restoration post cancer.