World Rose Day: Celebrating spirit of cancer patients

Divya Sharma

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 22

City-based educationist Jasveen Kaur, who battled breast cancer in 2006, feels that correct and timely awareness can save many lives.

September 22 is marked as World Rose Day to celebrate the spirit of cancer patients to create awareness about the deadly disease.

Jasveen Kaur, head of department, University Business School (UBS), Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), had to undergo multiple surgeries for consecutive years before resuming her normal life.

“It in the month of June 2006, I noticed changes around my breast. I immediately consulted doctors. I was diagnosed with cancer at an early stage. Ironically, I had attended a cancer awareness event before my diagnoses. It was my awareness that saved my life,” shares Jasveen.

A single mother for the last 23 years, Jasveen had to manage her work and son’s board examination as life shadowed the disease.

“My son Safaljot Singh is in Class X. It was stressful time with multiple complications. It was very brave of him that he managed to secure 91 per cent in his board examination.

She wants society to be empathic towards survivors, patients, and massive efforts must be directed towards dissemination of correct information in Public.

“I always try to attend camps, reach out to people. The memories of the disease are still fresh in mind. People need to be empathic towards patients, survivors. You can never go back to normal after such a journey. It changes entire perspective towards life,” stresses Kaur.

Not only Jasveen, many social organisations are also making sure to reach out to people in form of holding camps, seminars for the masses, Phulkari CAN, a philanthropic wing of (Non-governmental organisation) GO Phulkari Women Of Amritsar, in collaboration with knowledge partner CAPED, had been holding free screening camp, conferences to address issue of Cervical cancer.

“Today, six out of the 10 persons are suffering from one or the other type of cancers. The most are breast cancer, cervix cancer, prostate cancer and blood cancer. As a matter of fact, there is lesser awareness among the masses. There is a dire need to spread awareness among the people about cancer prevention,” said Dr Anchal Arora, a Goodwill Ambassador for India of World Cancer Care Society in the United Kingdom.