On International Women's Day, Stock broking company, Zerodha's founder Nithin Kamath took to professional network platform LinkedIn sharing the inspiring and gutsy tale of his wife Seema. "Seema, my wife, was diagnosed with breast cancer last Nov. She decided to share her journey & learnings till now to create awareness on cancer & the importance of regular health checkups, health insurance & overall health & well being. Happy Women's Day," reads Kamath's blog post.
International Women's Day is being observed today, March 8. The United Nations has marked this day to recognize women for their achievements, contributions and leadership roles.
In the blog post Seema Kamath shares how she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, how she came to know about cancer and about the treatment process that ensued.
"I am Seema, and I am, or maybe was, the healthiest and fittest person I knew. I absolutely did everything possible to be healthy and I thought nothing could physically slow me down until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in Nov 2021. Stage 2 cancer and not more than 2 years old. The last few months since my diagnosis have been a blur and an emotional roller coaster. I was in shock, and maybe I am still. Until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t spoken about my cancer to anyone apart from my immediate family and a few friends. While I am generally a private person, I also realized while going through all the tests and conversations trying to find the best doctor, that maybe I am not talking about it also because like mental illness, cancer is also a taboo in our country," reads the first few lines of the blog.
In her blog Seema goes on to give every detail about her journey which reverberates the courage and grit of a human being who doesn't want to be defeated.
Emphasizing on the need for early check up, she says, "With all the carcinogenic substances that we get exposed to in today’s day and age, the number of cancer cases is only going to go up in the future. Early detection is really our best option, and that I guess can happen only when everyone realizes that it can happen to anyone, even someone with no cancer history in the extended family, a very healthy diet, good fitness routine, good sleep, low stress, and no other health issues."
The blog sheds light on the confusion and chaos that engulfs an individual and the close ones once cancer is detected. "As soon as we realized that I had cancer, there was almost instant chaos and confusion. What to do next? Nithin, and especially Nikhil who somehow seems to know everyone, started reaching out to anyone with a medical background to help figure out what next. We spoke to doctors from across the world, and many who have or had cancer in the past. Selecting which doctor and hospital among the barrage of suggestions was an extremely complex decision, made tougher because of the financial freedom that I have," she writes.
She underwent mastectomy, followed by a few radiation sessions and chemotherapy.
After she started getting hair fall due to chemo treatment, she writes, "Nithin has agreed to remain bald until my hair grows back again, which is apparently 2 to 4 weeks after my last chemo session. Having a bald Nithin around me has helped me now make me like my new hairstyle. I might just end up continuing to remain bald even after my chemo."
Apart from addressing the core issue of cancer being a taboo, writes Seema, there are other things to learn as well like importance of regular health checkups, having a good insurance policy and having a strong support system in terms of friends and family.
Here are the answers to some common questions related to breast cancer:
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breasts begin to grow abnormally. It occurs mostly in women.What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Lump in the breast, bloody discharge from the nipple and change in the shape and texture of the nipple and breast are the symptoms of breast cancer.Is breast cancer curable?
If detected early and with timely medical intervention it is possible to treat breast cancer.What are the treatments available for breast cancer?
The various treatments available for breast cancer are surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and radiation.
