Do we need yet another blog on cancer?  I have seen blogs and social media on the much dreaded disease.  Some are started by charity foundations, caregivers and pharmaceutical companies.  But whenever a person with cancer shares his or her perspective, it lends a human face to the pain.  

Unfortunately, cancer affects more people than we’d like to think.  Official statistics claim that one in three is affected by the disease.  That’s scary.  But let’s take comfort in the fact that many have fought the disease and are continuing their life journey.  What I hope to achieve through this platform would be to share my journey and coping mechanisms as I went through treatment and more importantly, the psycho-emotional aspects of a person with cancer. 

Yes, I was diagnosed with cancer in July 2013.  It has been eventful and along with prescribed treatment, I learnt that as a person with cancer, you have a role to play in your recovery.  By the grace of the Almighty, I am thankful to be given another chance at life.  The fact that I am breathing today is not to be taken lightly.  That I must constantly remember.

While one’s perspective on many things will change, there is a tendency for one to forget the speed bumps at times.  And it’s always good to remind oneself that we should be driven by the overarching life themes of contentment, happiness and good health.

I hope to share my experience and a sort of framework which helped me in my journey thus far.  To this end, I hope this will benefit others who are going through the same journey.  Ideally, it would be great if we could build a network of people who will share their resources and experiences with cancer especially from a patient’s standpoint.

At the end of the day, let us go beyond cancer.  It is a journey that we must make for our loved ones, for every breath that has been loaned to us and for every heartbeat that we have been blessed with.

Be happy and be well, my friends!

iqbal sanjiman

1 Sep 2014