Common people are capable of outstanding achievements often ignored by society. On many occasions, cancer survivors have made very significant contributions to society after being cured. Rediscovering life in adversity is also a celebration. Though the social stigmata has decreased over time, acceptance in the family and society is still an issue.
Cancer survivors have outlived family members and detractors on many occasions. Though society may not acknowledge their achievements, they are celebrities in their own right. They do not require to post pictures with celebrities on social media to gain importance. Quality of life is an important issue as life after cure needs to be managed.
The mental health of all concerned needs to be addressed adequately. Some stories from the city of Kolkata may be interesting.
Karate
Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan are acknowledged worldwide as martial arts experts. There is really nothing unusual about this. However, it may be unusual for a young and dynamic man of 39 years who had tongue cancer in 2015 to achieve a black belt in karate. He underwent major surgery for tongue cancer followed by radiotherapy in Kolkata seven years back.
Many are of the opinion that a cancer survivor may not have the power of intense physical activity. This man works as an accountant to sustain his family but his passion for karate has increased over time. He has cleared the second dan or level in karate and is a black belt.
He trains around 30 students but not on a professional basis. This is his passion. He uses the master’s degree achieved in the field to serve society to encourage physical and mental training.
There were many who wrote him off initially, which left a deep impact on him. The discipline associated with the sport helped him immensely to fight back cancer. He was physically, spiritually and mentally into karate on a daily basis. His phenomenal activities have proved his detractors wrong.
Today he has only one question on his mind — for how long have I to hide my cancer survivor status from society?
Homemaker
Some people are of the impression that homemakers are not capable of performing activities outside the home. This is absolutely untrue which has been proved on many occasions.
A young lady was married in 2008 to a private firm employee in Kolkata. They had a daughter the next year and lived happily for the next decade.
In 2018, she developed breast cancer and underwent breast conservation surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Soon after this event, the husband moved to another city stating that she could spread infection and harm others. The mother-in-law also started to behave abnormally and stopped all communication and cooperation with her. She was left alone with her daughter to face the situation.
Gradually she learnt to do online transactions in banks and all other activities outside the home. She started staying with a maid and to take some tuitions which was difficult to get. In the meantime, she succeeded in clearing the teacher’s training course and became eligible for a teaching job.
Very recently she got appointed as a teacher in a school, which made her financially and socially independent. She had overcome all challenges very successfully and gained confidence.
She regrets that she got no support from her husband and in-laws when she needed it the most. Everybody is aware today that cancer is not an infectious condition and that the patient cannot harm others.
Wasn’t she eligible for the honor, emotional support, financial assistance and physical proximity of her husband during this period?
Job
A middle-aged man working in a private firm for many years developed a closeness with the employer and employees over time. In early 2016, he was occasionally bleeding from rectum and mistook it as piles.
Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with rectal cancer and underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, followed by surgery. He has been fine since.
However, during his treatment, his friends and colleagues came to know of his disease and made the situation difficult for him to continue in office. There was hardly anybody who actually helped him.He was on the verge of being sacked from an office where he had given everything for so many years.
He left the job and went into depression. He desperately tried to get a job in the Gulf countries for which he was selected through an Indian agent. Unfortunately, he failed the medical test on groundsof rectal cancer. Usually, any person free of cancer for five years is considered cured.
Finally, he had to settle for a modest job outside Kolkata which do not insist on medical clearance. His wife stated that the family appeared handicapped in certain situations.
Interpretation or acceptance by society may differ. It is unfortunate that many prefer to be silent on issues which do not affect them directly.
The coming festivals may augur a new beginning. Life needs to be celebrated.
Gautam Mukhopadhyay is the secretary of the Bengal Oncology Foundation and clinical director of the department of surgical oncology, Peerless Hospital