The Tahira Kashyap Cancer Battle
Close your eyes for once…and imagine how it would have felt to start your birthday with the news that confirms “your loved one is diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer”?
I got goosebumps and a chill right away…and am sure you too did! I wonder how Ayushmann Khurrana must have felt when he came to know about Tahira Khurrana (his wife) being diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer on his birthday. Yes.. that is how it started for the two of them.
The Short Version of Tahira Kashyap Cancer Story
Tahira Kashyap, a young Indian woman in her late 30s, mother of two children, professionally accomplished writer, professor, a theatre director and Ayushmann Khurrana’s wife for sure never knew this was coming. But in 2018, Tahira went public with she being diagnosed with ductal carcinoma with high grade malignant cells. She opened talked about how difficult it was to believe that this had happened.
The Longer Version of Tahira Kashyap Cancer Story
“For a long time post my diagnosis, I cried the nights wondering what had struck us” she says,
To picture this right, it was a time when Tahira’s husband Ayushmann Khurrana, an adored heartthrob and versatile actor, singer and television host, was in the middle of two movies. His career was at a peak and it would have been the most vulnerable and worst time to have an emotional breakdown. The couple took it strongly and stood firm and courageous during this journey. Cannot support this enough, but yes, Ayushmann delivered his blockbusters while he was traversing through this rough patch.
So, what is it that makes a cancer patient fight it through?? Courage? Determination? Support and of course “the scientific details of your disease”
Needless to say, Ayushmann and Tahira fought this together as a couple, but there are definitely lessons learnt and key takeaways too. It is well said and believed, it is the cancer patient who should be encouraged to thrive and not just survive!
And yes, Tahira decided to THRIVE.. which makes her journey worth a reference. From posting bald pictures which is suggestive of her strength to embrace it, she openly talked about it. The old time stigma associated with disease did put her at a spot where she had to decide which way to go, face it or hide it and she chose the latter. This not only empowered many others going through a similar patch but also suggested that “if you do it right…you will fight it through”.
An early and accurate diagnosis is another factor that helps to govern “the extent of suffering that may come across”. It is very important to be cognizant of changes that you may feel or see in your body as you progress in the circle of life. With so much being talked about cancer, from symptoms, to lifestyle Dos and Donts, possible reasons causing cancer, as an individual each one of us should take our own responsibility and make sure to get regular health checkups.
Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I never treated my body, mind and soul as an entity, says Tahira. The actress adds that through all these years, physical health meant the most to her and was callous about her mental peace. But cancer diagnosis changed her viewpoint, and she reiterates, cancer is a manifestation of negativity that had been harbouring within. Therefore, if you are sad or are not mentally happy, you are not doing the right thing to your body!
Post diagnosis, Tahira underwent double mastectomy and is undergoing recovery now. Definitely, accurate and timely diagnosis helped the actress fight it through. She is now focused to maintain a balance between mental and physical health.
We wish you a very happy and healthy life ahead Tahira! Three cheers for you strong woman!
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Disclaimer: Opinions in this post is solely for education purposes. This post has been written from the author’s personal point of view, combined with previously published public statements from Tahira Kashyap, with reference links included wherever applicable. The views and content included here have not been endorsed by Sonali Bendre.
