Cancer survivors share stories of resilience
1
2
Ranchi: Sunita Devi from Hazaribag, diagnosed with stage one breast cancer in 2023, travels to Ranchi every 21 days for follow-up. After eight rounds of chemotherapy, she is standing strong and gives other courage to fight this battle.
Sunita was among many such cancer survivors who shared their journey of perseverance during a two-day event organised by the Jharkhand Cancer Center to mark National Cancer Survivors Day on Sunday.
"There were days when I felt like giving up. But I told myself that I must fight. I come alone for treatment, manage everything by myself but I am still here, strong. I hope that in this fight, I will emerge victorious."
Harishit Gari (15) from Ratu has been battling blood cancer since 2022.
His mother, Priyanka, a daily wager, provides unwavering support. Harishit needs monthly blood transfusions. He has been balancing it with studies.
"Some days, I miss my class. But I want to study and become a doctor and relieve everyone of their miseries," he added.
Priyanka said, "Treatment has been expensive. Every time I have to take him to a hospital, I miss work which means no pay. "
Dr Kumar Saurabh said, "The experiences that these people shared tell us how important it is to make treatment affordable. We need to ensure none fights the battle alone, especially not because they cannot afford it."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Cancer survivors share stories of resilience
1 2 Ranchi: Sunita Devi from Hazaribag, diagnosed with stage one breast cancer in 2023, travels to Ranchi every 21 days for follow-up. After eight rounds of chemotherapy, she is standing strong and gives other courage to fight this battle. Sunita was among many such cancer survivors who shared their journey of perseverance during a two-day event organised by the Jharkhand Cancer Center to mark National Cancer Survivors Day on Sunday. "There were days when I felt like giving up. But I told myself that I must fight. I come alone for treatment, manage everything by myself but I am still here, strong. I hope that in this fight, I will emerge victorious." Harishit Gari (15) from Ratu has been battling blood cancer since 2022. His mother, Priyanka, a daily wager, provides unwavering support. Harishit needs monthly blood transfusions. He has been balancing it with studies. "Some days, I miss my class. But I want to study and become a doctor and relieve everyone of their miseries," he added. Priyanka said, "Treatment has been expensive. Every time I have to take him to a hospital, I miss work which means no pay. " Dr Kumar Saurabh said, "The experiences that these people shared tell us how important it is to make treatment affordable. We need to ensure none fights the battle alone, especially not because they cannot afford it."
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
After recovering, focus must be on exercise, diet and checkups: Doc
Exercise can also help to reduce the risk of all sorts of cancer. Panaji: A balanced diet, coupled with regular exercise, medical checkups, and good stress management are essential to keep cancer survivors in good health, said GMC's head of medical oncology, Dr Anupama Borkar. 'It is scientifically proven that those who exercise regularly after treatment for cancer have a reduced chance of recurrence compared to those who don't,' she said, adding that a well-balanced diet is also of utmost importance. 'You've survived cancer, and you owe it to yourself to take care of your health henceforth, as life is worth saving,' she said ahead of National Cancer Survivors Day, which is marked on June 1. She said that all kinds of risky behaviours, such as tobacco in all forms—chewable and cigarettes—as well as alcohol, must be avoided at all costs, as these are proven carcinogens. 'You've already got cancer once, and your body was exposed to surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Hence, one needs to take utmost precautions to prevent themselves from any other illnesses,' she said. Good stress management through recreation, yoga, meditation, pranayama, and engaging in hobbies helps release good endorphins, keeping one relaxed and in a positive frame of mind, which helps boost immunity. 'We now know that stress decreases immunity and, in turn, is responsible for causing cancer and relapses. Once cancer is treated and the patient is cured, there is always a possibility that some cancer cells may have remained dormant in the body. When your immunity is low, these dormant cells can resurface,' she said. Regular checkups, as advised by the treatment team, must also be adhered to. 'After completion of treatment for cancer, the long-term effects of medication also need to be under scrutiny so that if any other organ is damaged, it can be detected early and treatment started in time,' she said. 'We can never be sure why a fraction of patients relapse, but we know that by taking care of all these things, we can decrease the chance of recurrence and increase the chance of a healthy life,' she said. Panaji: A balanced diet, coupled with regular exercise, medical checkups, and good stress management are essential to keep cancer survivors in good health, said GMC's head of medical oncology, Dr Anupama Borkar. 'It is scientifically proven that those who exercise regularly after treatment for cancer have a reduced chance of recurrence compared to those who don't,' she said, adding that a well-balanced diet is also of utmost importance. 'You've survived cancer, and you owe it to yourself to take care of your health henceforth, as life is worth saving,' she said ahead of National Cancer Survivors Day, which is marked on June 1. She said that all kinds of risky behaviours, such as tobacco in all forms—chewable and cigarettes—as well as alcohol, must be avoided at all costs, as these are proven carcinogens. 'You've already got cancer once, and your body was exposed to surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Hence, one needs to take utmost precautions to prevent themselves from any other illnesses,' she said. Good stress management through recreation, yoga, meditation, pranayama, and engaging in hobbies helps release good endorphins, keeping one relaxed and in a positive frame of mind, which helps boost immunity. 'We now know that stress decreases immunity and, in turn, is responsible for causing cancer and relapses. Once cancer is treated and the patient is cured, there is always a possibility that some cancer cells may have remained dormant in the body. When your immunity is low, these dormant cells can resurface,' she said. Regular checkups, as advised by the treatment team, must also be adhered to. 'After completion of treatment for cancer, the long-term effects of medication also need to be under scrutiny so that if any other organ is damaged, it can be detected early and treatment started in time,' she said. 'We can never be sure why a fraction of patients relapse, but we know that by taking care of all these things, we can decrease the chance of recurrence and increase the chance of a healthy life,' she said.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Time of India
Birsa Munda Zoo eyes lion pair from Chhattisgarh
Ranchi: Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park in Ormanjhi is trying to bring a lion and lioness from Nandanvan Zoo Raipur in Chhattisgarh following the death of its lone lioness earlier this week, officials said on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Priyanka, a 15-year-old lioness brought from Bannerghatta Zoo in Bengaluru in 2014, died of an infection on Wednesday. Priyanka, zoo officials said, was a crossbreed of Asiatic and African lions. At present, the zoo has Shashank, an ageing male lion. Zoo veterinarian Dr Om Prakash Sahu said, "The authorities are in discussion with the counterparts in Raipur Zoo to bring the pair of lions under animal exchange programme. Although the paperwork has not yet been finished, we are hoping the pair will be brought to the zoo within two months. We will exchange the lion pair with a hyena, crocodile and deer." The vet said whether the lion pair will be used for display or breeding purposes has not been finalised yet. The move, however, must be approved by the Central Zoo Authority. Autopsy report of Priyanka revealed that she died of bacterial infection in her uterus. "She suddenly fell ill on Wednesday afternoon, and her health started to deteriorate. As soon as we learnt about it, she was provided with medical attention at the zoo. However, she died despite our efforts at night on the same day. Later, after a post-mortem examination, she was cremated at the zoo's mortuary," vet Sahu added. Dr M K Gupta, veterinary pathologist of Birsa Agriculture University, who conducted the post-mortem examination, told TOI that it is a common phenomenon of female animals contracting uterus infection, and it is often hard to detect even until it reaches advanced stages. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "However, precautionary measures such as keeping organic wastes out of the animal's reach can prevent such infections, and that is duly taken care of at Birsa Zoo. Despite that, animals sometimes contract infections as they are exposed the natural environment," Gupta said, adding that on average, hybrid lions live up to 17-18 years on an average. Before Priyanka's death in December last year, another lioness, Jaya, died due to kidney failure in December 2024.
