No reason to be ashamed of having cancer

Writer and wife of Ayushmann Khurrana, Tahira Kashyap, took to Instagram on Monday, February 4 World Cancer Day to share a picture of herself wearing a mastectomy scar like a badge of honour. An inspiring picture for all, the cancer stricken, survivors, caretakers and ordinary people.

Along with the picture, Tahira wrote a note urging people to remove the stigma and taboo associated with cancer. Her aim was to spread awareness about the illness and have self-love no matter what. It is heartening that a victim made herself and her body into a canvas on which one could spread the message about cancer.

Yesterday, this paper had a report about an open air event where people can go and shave off their hair. This donation will be used to make wigs and given to hospitals, one presumes for the cancer-afflicted. By bringing this into the open, this is once again a sign of the breaking of a veil of silence, often silent shame for no reason at all, about this disease.

Let us become stakeholders in the battle-against-cancer effort. Give strength to caretakers and families who are seeing their loved ones battle cancer. We can do that by continual reinforcement of the message that there is no shame in cancer, there is no shame in looking a particular way in your fight against cancer. When we break the taboos brought on by silence and misinformation about cancer, we become allies in taking on the big C.

Breach that wall of shame through correct information and positive messages. You do not have to be directly affected by cancer to join the fight. This should be about beauty, self-belief and blessings. Let us quell fear born out of ignorance and show the afflicted and their grieving and sometimes desperately sad families that we are one with them - in spirit and in action.

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