They fight cancer with positive outlook

CHANDIGARH:"Dying once and for all is thousand times better than dying every moment. At least you don’t have to be in constant fear that you might not be gone the very next moment. Forever."
This is what 55-year-old Anshuman Jindal had to say when asked to sum up how it feels to be living with cancer. He came to know about 10 days back that cancer has perforated his lungs and that he might live for "10 more months at the most".
And he is not alone.Among the nameless multitude flocking to oncology departments of hospitals, there are countless persons who already know that the cancer they are suffering from has spread their tentacles far too deep inside the body. To "a point beyond repair", as 40-year-old Shanti Devi says.
Physicians agree. "Living with cancer is one of the toughest things for a patient. Especially when the cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage and much of the damage is already done. It takes a lot of courage, determination and very strong will power on the part of a patient to improve his quality of life even if the disease is diagnosed at a later stage," notes a surgeon at Government Medical College and Hospital.
Head of PGI’s general surgery department Prof J D Wig echoes his views. "Learning that one has cancer can affect many areas of life. By staying in touch with his doctor, a patient may cope better with cancer and its treatment and even like to meet other people with cancer. Technological and scientific advances have led to development of more effective treatments for cancer patients. The development of novel cancer treatments provide the patient access to therapies that are on the frontier of cancer research," he says.
Punjab Red Cross volunteer Saroj Chakravarti, actively involved in assisting cancer patients admitted to PGI with her fellow volunteer Sashi Nanda, observes: "We are in close touch with cancer patients and not only do we collect funds to help them bear the steep treatment costs, but also counsel them and their families. We try to say that bringing about slight modifications in the daily routine and having a positive attitude makes a world of a difference in improving the quality of life. While treatment aspect is taken care of by the hospital, success of the therapy also depends on the patient’s will power, stoic resolve and a never-say-die attitude."
A senior psychiatrist in PGI says counselling helps a great deal in helping patients overcome the state of despair they land in. "The role of counsellors is vital as they help to instil confidence in patients. A patient with a positive outlook responds much better to treatment as compared to those who feel that all is lost," he says.
(Names of patients have been changed on request.)