Rays of Hope, Happiness, and Life: Discover inspiring stories of courage and resilience from cancer patients who have turned their battles into beacons of hope for others.
Blog 6
19/08/2025
Two Women, Endless Strength: Lessons That Inspire
I am often asked where I find the strength to treat people who face so much pain and misery every single day. My answer is simple — I draw my strength from my patients and their families. Their courage, resilience, and unwavering spirit inspire me every day, and that is what keeps me going.
Lesson 1: Naina’s Courage
Naina, a 34-year-old young married woman, was diagnosed with breast cancer right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She lived in Ashok Vihar, Delhi, and came to us for radiation therapy after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy in Gurugram. She was tall, beautiful and emotionally settled by the time she and her husband reached out to us. Married for eight years, the couple had been trying for a child when cancer changed the course of their lives.
Naina’s parents lived in Faridabad, nearly 50 km away. Because of the raging pandemic, they could not be with her during her treatment. One day, her father called her and, with a heavy heart, told her how sad he was that she had to face breast cancer at the prime of her youth. “Thirty-four is an age to enjoy life,” he said, “not to suffer through cancer treatment.”
But our brave Naina gently reassured her father. She told him that she was fine and that he need not worry. With remarkable optimism, she added, “It is good that cancer struck me at a young age when my body is strong enough to withstand the treatment. Had it happened later in life, maybe I would not have been able to cope.”
Listening to this, I was humbled. “Lo and behold,” was my only response when Naina shared this conversation with me.
It was a reminder that while cancer is fought with medicines and therapies, the real battle is fought in the mind. Naina taught me that half the journey is physical, but more than half is won with courage, positivity, and mental strength.
My heartfelt salutations to dear Naina.
Lesson 2: Meenakshi’s Perspective
Another iron lady I had the privilege of meeting was Mrs. Meenakshi. She attended one of our breast cancer support group meetings. A true warrior, she had faced breast cancer not once but twice — first on the right side, and ten years later, on the left.
During the session, as she addressed women undergoing active treatment, she began her talk with an unforgettable line: “My husband never allowed me to change my hairstyle, but cancer gave me that chance — twice.”
It takes an incredibly strong heart to say something like that with a smile.
She went on to add, “When someone gets diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, they must take medicines for life. But with cancer, treatment lasts for only 6–8 months.”
Her words left a deep impact on all of us. Life, after all, is nothing but a reflection of our perspective.
Each of these women — Naina and Meenakshi — taught me that hope, positivity, and inner strength can make the toughest journeys a little lighter. They remind me every day that cancer does not define a person. What defines them is their courage, their outlook, and their will to live life fully.
To every patient and caregiver walking this path — may you always find the strength to see light, even in the darkest times.