"We didn't spare another thought. We sought the doctors immediately and they operated. It was over before I could even process the information of my diagnosis properly," she recalls.
In a recent gathering of breast cancer survivors on October 5 at Nepal Cancer Hospital in Harisiddhi, Lalitpur, she was one of the participants amidst a number of doctors, nurses, and former breast cancers patients. Previously, only people who were done with the treatment were called survivors, but now, even those women who are just diagnosed are given the tag. All to boost confidence of the patients, of course, that plays an essential role in their recovery.
According to Dr Bijesh Raj Ghimire, consultant medical oncologist at Nepal Cancer Hospital, around 5,000 cases of breast cancer are registered at the medical facilities of Nepal though he is quick to point out that it's not the official data. Compared to the 80% success rate of the treatment abroad, Nepal's survivors' rate is just 65%. It definitely puts a pressure on the doctors and also the government, as breast cancer is actually a curable disease.
Around 25 survivors and their family members were expected at the program, but more turned up. Now that they've undergone operation for the cancer, there's relief and happiness in their lives. Especially when there were so many of them at the program, the survivors were at ease because of the shared predicament – they were not alone.
But Kamala Khatri, 60, shares how difficult it was when she first suspected that she could have breast cancer.
"I ignored the pain at first. For years I postponed a visit to the doctor thinking it was nothing. But nothing could have prepared us for what the doctor had to say. I never thought that I could have breast cancer and everyone in my family was as surprised as they were scared for me," she says, recalling the apprehension her family members went through.
The operation took place within a month. Then she underwent chemotherapy. "I lost my hair then. It was a different feeling. I don't think I had ever even cut my hair short before, but after the chemo, I was almost bald," she says. It gave a physical dimension to her sickness which increased her anxiety about how people would perceive her.
Then she had to go through another rigorous cycle of radiotherapy. Even after a year, the pain is still fresh in her mind.
But she has plenty of support from her family, and especially her husband, Deepak Khatri, 61, who not only accompanies her to the hospitals and clinics for checkups, but also to programs like the survivors' meet. In fact, family support has a lot to do with how patients handle the disease.
Sajjan Bhattarai, 62, can vouch for that. His wife Mira Bhattarai, 55, was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. The doctors said that the cancer had spread all over so she had to opt to have her left breast removed.
It was difficult to make up her mind for such a drastic step. It was an essential part of her body, after all. But fortunately or unfortunately, she comes from a family of cancer survivors.
"I'm not the first one to suffer from cancer in my family," she says, as her husband adds, "My grandmother, mother, father, and now her, all have suffered from cancer." If anything, such a family history has made Mira stronger. "My in-laws were tough folks and my grandmother-in-law lived till her 90s despite the cancer, so I had not given up hopes," she says.
And she did live through it, though she lost something as well. But her husband has been careful about measuring her moods and thoughts. "Even though she has been acting strong, there was a time when she was depressed," he says, while Mira says, "My husband was scared when the doctors said I had breast cancer."
As in the cases with Kamala and Mira, Dr Ghimire says, the biggest problem here is that women aren't cautious enough to have suspicious symptoms thoroughly checked. "They come when the pain is unbearable and hinders their daily life, and that is usually the third or fourth stage. Women need to know that the earlier it is detected, the better chances they have of being completely cancer free after treatment," he says.
Besides that, Dr Ghimire says that his patients are afraid of letting their family members, and especially their husbands, know about their problem because they are afraid they will be abandoned. "They say that there won't be anyone to look after them or their children. Also most of the times, the family members ask for a timeline of disease progression rather than treating the patient," he says. But if it is a working woman, things are different.
One of the many reasons why the survivors' meet program was conducted was to raise awareness regarding such problems that precede or come with breast cancer. Following on those footsteps, various organizations, the hospital, clinics, are making the most out of the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On October 10, Saturday, Rose Foundation, is organizing a Walkathon for the same purpose.
Its founder, Shikshya Piya, who is a breast cancer survivor herself, has been working rigorously to spread awareness about early detection of breast cancer. "Usually, breast cancer is found in women above the age of 40 anywhere else in the world. But I was diagnosed with it when I wasn't even 30," she says.
Dr Ghimire says the reason behind this is unclear. "We don't know why women here suffer from breast cancer earlier than other countries, but that only makes our job of spreading awareness more important," he says.
That is where the role of survivors like Piya comes into play. "People need to know that we're with them. We need to let them know about conducting self-examinations, facilities that is now available in the capital, and how to look out for this wretched disease," she says.
And true to that thought, there were many survivors at the program who signed up for counseling and training of other breast cancer survivors. Dr. Ghimire hopes that such a gesture will shine light unto the atrocities of the disease and the society's views towards it.
"One has to give credit to survivors taking up the job to make sure that many women can be saved from the trouble," he says, adding that Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie talking about cancer has brought about a positive change in the mindsets of people. "Even at home, Manisha Koirala, as a survivor, acknowledging the disease means a great thing and we should continue with that," he says.
Perhaps encouraged by the doctors and the activism taking place, Radha Sharma, 61, signed up to provide counseling classes. Just because she's a survivor doesn't mean she is problem free.
"Ever since I took the radiation therapy, I developed allergy and rashes. I was first diagnosed with the cancer almost 10 years ago, but this hasn't stopped. Even a couple of days ago, I was asked to visit a dermatologist. But that isn't a major problem," she chimes.
A teacher for the hearing-impaired at Naxal for the last 28 years, she has stepped onto a different stage of life with her retirement last year. "I still go to school time and again when they ask me to, and now I'm looking forward to take the classes for the patients," she says.
Sharma might have taken clear decisions on how she wants to go about her difficult journey, but there are still many women who tend to ignore the signs and symptoms and land in a deeper set of problems. Breast cancer is a treatable form of cancer and that awareness needs to be there for women to not feel stigmatized about it and seek the cure that's so readily available.
sachimulmi@gmail.com
Related story
Olivia Newton-John is 'doing great' amid third battle with brea...
-1200x560-1771928761.webp)
