A Harvard oncologist takes Minti Jain, a cancer survivor, down memory lane as she finds moments of overlap.
CANCER IS “slowly becoming the thing that changed people’s lives, something they can speak of in past tense,” says David Scadden in Cancerland: A medical memoir. So true! My nasopharyngeal cancer, that struck nine years ago, surely changed my life. It took eight-nine months to be diagnosed, but once I had the MRI report confirming nasopharynx carcinoma in my hands, it was such a relief to finally know why I had excruciating pain on the right side of my face and head, that random nose bleed, that throwing up of blood, those sleepless nights. Earlier, I had no clue what the nasopharynx was. I had also never bothered to read about cancer.
Scadden, a Harvard oncologist, describes his knowledge of cancer as a child “equaling irredeemable loss, unspoken of, incomprehensible and deeply sad”. That was exactly the feeling in the living room as I showed the lab report to my large family. There was a deathly silence as I stood there, unperturbed. My uncle then whacked me hard and asked me to cry as he hugged me. I did cry.
This story is from the September 16, 2018 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 16, 2018 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT
West Bengal's Bhanga Mela (scrap fair) has pushed the limits of recycling. Organised every January at Mathurapur village in 24 South Parganas district, shops at the fair sell discarded electronic items, antiques and even non-functional goods that are in repairable condition.
A wild chase
BASED ON A 2015 PROBE THAT BUST A MAJOR IVORY SMUGGLING RACKET IN INDIA, POACHER PROVIDES A RARE GLIMPSE INTO THE WORK OF FOREST OFFICIALS
Suspect claims in Teva's suit against Cipla
The US Federal Trade Commission has warned the Israeli drug firm its patents are wrongful as it sues Cipla aggressively
WATER SCARREDCITY
Bengaluru's water crisis was long in the making. The city has grown at the cost of its lakes and ponds that are key to its water security. Over 93 per cent of the city is built-up, which makes groundwater recharge difficult. Inadequate sewage systems pollute the limited water available. Over the decades, the city has become dependent on the Cauvery, 100 km away, for 70 per cent of its water needs. This makes water unaffordable. It's time Bengaluru broadened its water resource base beyond the Cauvery and focused on recharging groundwater and reusing treated wastewater.
On guard
Communities in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh reduce human-elephant conflicts using technology and proactive on-ground monitoring
Overlooked crisis
While there is much talk about climate migration, the world is without a legal framework to protect people displaced by weather disasters
Taking charge for water
A young sarpanch in Maharashtra helps his village residents avail drinking water at home
International Women's Day Special SHE
In India, women self-help groups have been a source of empowerment, fostering economic independence, social stature and community resilience.
MODERATELY YOURS
The crunchy, slightly sweet tubers of shankhalu can be a healthy addition to one's diet
TROUBLED TEAK
Farmers need to be sensitised about right planting materials and cultivation techniques to benefit from high-value teak plantations