The Thing About Cancer: Prosthetics after Mastectomy (Part 1)

 

This episode of The Thing About Cancer is divided into two parts. We speak with Dr Rohini Patil, who is a gynecologist and obstetrician by profession. She has been involved in various welfare activities around breast cancer from holding cancer screening camps, teaching women of all ages to self-examine their breasts and providing free prosthetics for survivors of mastectomies. 

In part one of this interview, Dr Rohini tells us about her own journey with breast cancer. As a young doctor and a single mother, Dr Rohini worked her way through her breast cancer treatment, drawing courage from her eight-year-old son and her patients. 

She believes she survived breast cancer because she was diagnosed early, owing to her practice of examining her breasts every month. This is why she stresses on the need for all women over the age of twenty to practice self-examination of their breasts every month. Since yearly mammography is not feasible in many remote areas of our country, self-examination can save many lives. 

From dealing with a bald head to severe vomiting, Dr Rohini talks about her side-effects with a sense of humour, showing us that it is possible to face these problems by reminding ourselves that they are temporary. 

Dr Rohini’s story is a shot in the arm for those of us going through cancer right now, as we take notes from her go-getter attitude and perseverance. 

 

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