A Challenging but Triumphant Personal Story of a Teacher
The entire world changed when I was diagnosed with the big, scary “C” word – cancer.
Life often moves so fast. Between work, family, and daily responsibilities, we rarely pause to focus on ourselves. Thankfully, I was always health-conscious and made it a point to get annual check-ups and scans for fibroids. Still, no one ever recommended a mammogram, not even once!
Then came a bruise on my right breast. It lingered for two to three months and began to worry me. When I brought it up during a routine check-up, my gynecologist brushed it off as a movable lump and nothing serious. But something didn’t sit right with me. I trusted my instincts and insisted on a mammogram.
That decision changed everything. The mammogram revealed a lump. A follow-up FNAC test showed abnormal cells, even the gynecologist was shocked! A biopsy confirmed what I feared most: malignancy.
It wasn’t an easy moment. But I found strength in the support around me, starting with a compassionate surgeon who reassured me that everything would be alright. The initial plan was surgery, followed by radiation, something I could manage alongside work.
However, surgery revealed that five lymph nodes were affected, and chemotherapy was added to the treatment plan. I was terrified. Like most people, I’d heard stories about chemo’s harsh side effects. But my oncologist calmly walked me through everything, explaining how modern medicine had made treatment far more manageable.
Those chemotherapy sessions were hard. They drained me physically and emotionally. But my children became my pillars of strength. They lifted me during my lowest moments. Radiation came next, and compared to chemo, it was more bearable.
What carried me through was the unwavering support from friends and well-wishers, their prayers, their words, their presence. And in the process, I saw the true colors of the people in my life, some bright, some unexpected.
To anyone reading this: if you ever notice anything unusual in your body, don’t ignore it. Trust your gut. Early detection saves lives. Modern science is advanced, and with timely intervention, so much is treatable. Don’t rely on the internet for diagnosis, always consult your doctor. There are support groups and organizations out there ready to help.
Take your medicines, attend follow-ups, nourish your body, and most importantly, hold on to hope.
I am a breast cancer survivor. And I truly believe, if you fight with your mind, you can conquer anything and live a full, beautiful life.
— Pretty Chawla Bali
#BreastCancerSurvivor
