Guest Story

 

The last memory I have of my mother is of her peacefully watering the plants in her garden just a day before her 43rd birthday . When I  was 6 years old my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went to a nearby hospital where a doctor shattered all her hopes by  she didn't have too many days to live.

 

A friend of my parents suggested a very good doctor in the Tata Memorial Centre named Sujata Baid, she was a breast cancer specialist. On examining my mother she said whoever told her that she wouldn't survive was just ignorant. She immediately started the chemo therapy for my mother, initially it was hard for my mother to cope with the chemotherapy because she had 3 children to take care of at home, the younger being my sister who was just 2 months old at that time. She also began losing hair because of the powerful treatment, gradually she got used to the treatment after all it was what had been keeping her alive.

My mother lived with breast cancer for 18 years, in the initial years my mother got depressed because she didn't think she would live to see her children grow. I was 24 years old when she left us. For a women who didn't think she would survive, a doctor like Ma'am Sujata came as real life savior. Over the course of 18 years that my mom survived with breast cancer, Dr. Sujata and her developed a good friendship, she was there for my mother every step of the way, she pulled my mother out of depression eventually. If it wasn't for Dr. Sujata's concern and considerate efforts my mother would have given up on life. But she survived with breast cancer for 18 years and died a peaceful death.  

 

I will forever be grateful to Dr. Sujata for not letting my mother lose hope in life,apart from the chemotherapy it was her efforts as a friend towards my mother and also our family's unconditional support that kept my mother battling with the disease for 18 years.

Vikas Sharma