On the occasion of World Cancer Day, actress Sonali Bendre shared a touching post on her Instagram talking about her survival after being diagnosed with the dreaded disease. The actress posted a picture of her new avatar with short cropped hair, a byproduct of her chemotherapy treatment in the United States.
“World Cancer Day… who would have thought it would become such a thing… but it has! And just the mere mention of the C word brings dread in the hearts of anyone who hears it. We fear it so much that we’d rather not talk about it… which is why it’s important to have a day where we pull out the band aid and help us deal with this disease,” she wrote in the post.
The actress was diagnosed with cancer in July last year. Having undergone treatment in the United States, she returned to Mumbai in December.
In the post, the actress added, “I was scared too, but soon realised that burying my head in the sand was not the way to deal with this. And so… with the little experience I have had, I urge you all to take the time to understand it. There’s more to cancer than being emotional or weak or even being called a fighter or a survivor. It requires you to study it, find out what works for you and to be diligent about your treatment.”
Bendre is not the only actress to be diagnosed with the disease. Recently, actor Ayushmann Khurrana revealed the news of his wife, writer Tahira Kashyap undergoing surgery to remove a tumour.
Kashyap shared an image of her showing off her surgery scars on the ocassion of World Cancer Day. Khurrana shared the picture on his social media with the couplet
‘Paa le tu aisi Fateh.
Samandar teri pyaas se darey.’
In a recent interview, Kashyap had called Bendre a source of inspiration. She said, “Sonali has been a very big source of strength for each one of us, whether she realises or not. I read her interview, and saw her posts, and that was the time I was not going through anything. I felt what a strong woman she is.”
Another survivor of the disease, Manisha Koirala has recently turned author with her book, Healed, in November last year. The actress fought her own battle with the disease and has now recovered enough to return to the world of acting.
Another survivor who continues to fight is Irrfan Khan, who was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour last year. The actor has been in the UK for the last few months undergoing treatment. Having stayed off social media, the actor has chosen to keep a quiet profile while he makes his way to recovery.