‘Even today, there is a huge stigma around the word cancer’
Cancer treatment has improved over the years and survival rates are up, but so are the number of people afflicted by the disease. Yet, cancer remains a dreaded word not mentioned openly. On World Cancer Day, writerdirector Tahira Kashyap Khurrana feels “even today, there is a stigma associated with the word ‘cancer’. People don’t talk about it even after detection”.
She shares that she realised the same when undergoing breast cancer treatment last year. “In fact, I didn’t know that anyone in my family or close circle had cancer. Awareness of the symptoms was never on top of my mind as no one had ever spoken about it. Once I opened up (about my case), I found there were many people in my close circle who had endured it, yet kept mum. It goes to show how much this topic is avoided in family discussions. Had I known there were cases in my family, I would’ve gone much earlier for a checkup,” she says.
Tahira, who received a lot of support from her husband, actor Ayushmann Khurrana, has been quite vocal ever since she was diagnosed. “If there is any change in your breast, or if you feel any change in your body, you need to get it checked. It is important to respect your body. I never thought something like this could happen to me. If you feel something different about your body, it requires immediate attention. Moreover, it is very, very important for us to talk about cancer. The only way to remove the stigma is by talking and spreading the message. The more we talk about it (the more) it will lead to early detection which can mean treatment and cure,” she says.
The writer-director reveals what kept her going through her treatment was work. “I had that fortune during the months of my chemotherapy. I kept working... it helped me push myself. I think work, love, happiness, talk and dialogue can help alleviate the stigma around cancer. We need to normalise cancer, make a conducive environment for the person going through this pain. They need to know they don’t need have to give up on life or live in a corner of the house,” she adds.