LIFE, AND HOPE, AFTER DIAGNOSIS

Delhi businesswoman Reva Kumar (above), 53, was diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine health check in 2012. “I have no family history of the disease, so it was a shock to hear the diagnosis,” she says. A fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), a procedure where a needle is inserted to retrieve tissue for examination, confirmed that the lump in her breast was cancerous. Within a week, Kumar underwent a lumpectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the lump. This was followed by six cycles of chemotherapy and 27 cycles of radiation. “Support from my friends, family and colleagues kept me going,” she says. “Through the chemotherapy, I worked for as long as my body would permit me to. That helped too. My energy levels were down. But continuing with work distracted me, left me with no time to mull over the thing. I have seen a friend go into depression during her recovery. I was really fortunate.” Now, Kumar eats healthy and enjoys life instead of worrying about her export business. “Earlier, I used to think twice before taking a day off. Now, if friends ask me if I’m free, I always say I’m free,” she says, smiling. Keen to help others struggling with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, she is an active member of support group meetings at Max Hospital, Delhi, where she was treated, and volunteers with Cankids, an NGO that works with underprivileged children with cancer.