There were many times I cried: Actress speaks out to help others
Susantha Chandramali, 56, a popular television actress who has successfully fought breast cancer, is sharing her story to empower women.
In early March, she found a lump in her breast and saw her family doctor. Suspecting the lump to be malign, the physician had taken prompt action.
Talking about her ordeal, she said because she had detected the disease early she had been able to save her body image.
“I was devastated to know it was cancer,” she said, describing her battle against the debilitating illness. “But the doctors arranged for a surgery to remove the lump on my left breast early and started on chemotherapy two weeks afterwards.
“The traumatising days began when my hair started falling. A woman’s beauty is in her hair and, being an actress,
that mattered most.
“To overcome the agony of seeing strands of hair falling throughout the day, I shaved my head. There were many times I shut myself inside the washroom and cried. I wore a hat and a scarf to hide my baldness.
“Seeing my discomfort, my doctors told me about the Indira Breast Cancer Trust (IBCT) and the assistance it gives cancer patients.
“The IBCT made a personalised wig for me and now I feel more confident. I know my hair will grow back,” she said. IBCT assistance to cancer patients includes providing breast prostheses, funding for medication, and counselling.
Susantha asks all women to check themselves for signs of breast cancer at least once a month. “As soon as you detect any changes, go to a doctor and seek advice. You need to be well to look after your family,” she said.
“Do not get alarmed. This a normal disease. Think positively and be strong. There are good doctors in our country who can get you 100 per cent cured,” she said.