Celebrating the spirit of Breast Cancer survivors this Pink October, JWB’s campaign I CANcer will introduce you to the journey of cancer fighters in the city. This campaign will bring to light the emotional yet motivating accounts of women who fought and survived Breast Cancer.

Madhu Doshi, a breast cancer survivor from Kishangarh district was diagnosed with the disease three years ago at its first stage.

Me: How did your battle with cancer begin?

Madhu Doshi: Three years back I was suffering from gynecological problems because of which my hemoglobin went really low. Despite getting bottles of blood infused in my body, my condition wasn’t improving. I had no idea that it could be a breast cancer. After realizing a lump in my right breast, I went for mammography. I lived in Kishangarh, and since there wasn’t a proper hospital, I went to Ajmer to get my tests done. After the needle test, my doctor told me that I had to get just the lump removed which meant no removal of breasts.

Me: What went through your mind and how did you rediscover yourself while you were in that phase?

Madhu Doshi: I didn’t get a lot of time to think after my lump was detected. Within 10 days I was operated. But yes amidst that difficult time, I used to get extremely tensed worrying about my children and my husband. Though everybody in my family assured me that was just a lump, and I would be fine soon, but Cancer is Cancer. ‘Itni badi bimari ka naam sunkar toh koi bhi dar jaye.’

And then when my chemo started and I started losing my hair, I got very conscious. I didn’t step out of the house for six months and always wore a scarf, even when I was at home. …..What I actually discovered about myself was my strength.

With teary eyes, she told me how she lost her husband three months after her operation. “My husband was a very healthy person who never had any heart problem or other medical complication. One day when he returned from work, he started having a chest pain. Just within few minutes, he collapsed. That was the hardest time for me, harder than my cancer. I was constantly questioning myself, “Ki itni badi bimari se nikal kar mai theek ho gayi aur mere husband jinhe kuch nahi tha wo aise chale gaye…”

Post his death I took care of everything which, earlier he did. God knows how I got that strength to manage the house and my kids and everything else. I had never in my life stepped out of the house alone, not even to buy vegetables, but eventually I did.

Me: Who inspired you to keep fighting?

Madhu Doshi: My brother who is an orthopedic surgeon in Ajmer was my constant pillar of the support. Also, my cousin sister, who was operated with breast cancer 10 years ago, helped me face complications with ease since she had experienced them all.

I had a lot of visitors those days. I remember how many of them scared me saying things like ‘How will I manage myself now, since my husband is no more, making my disease sound bigger than it was.’

But I always believed in God, and I thought maybe because my husband had to leave us, I’ve become this strong now. I removed all negative thoughts from my mind. I made my willpower tell myself that nothing would happen to me.

I was so touched by her story. I hugged her and was about to leave. That moment she said, “It is very important for us to be positive and believe in ourselves, beta. Just because I did, I am standing here today in front of you.”

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