As like most of my weekends, my last weekend also went into the service of cancer patients. But this was bit more special for me for few reasons:

1) I was invited as a speaker at “11th National Conference for Teenage and Young Adult Cancers” in the city of “Indore” in the state of Madhya Pradesh (an overnight journey from my place by train). When I saw, there were so many young kids as cancer patients, I was heartbroken….However, the spirit and zest for life in those kids were just amazing and a spiritual lift for me. That reminds us to do anything we can for better healthcare, for our generations to come.

2) There was a music band of young people who had defeated cancer and are now cancer free. After the conference, one of the guitarists came to meet me with his family. He and his family shared that when he was first diagnosed with Cancer, they found my late wife Kusum and my story and work of fighting with cancer on the internet, which gave them hope and motivation at the time of need. The young boy is cancer free and pursuing his career in music (the one with the beard and music instrument bag in the attached photo). The happiness of that family is the biggest reward for my work.

3) I also got the opportunity to meet Ravi Prakash. Ravi ji is renowned BBC Hindi reporter of India, and was 44 years old when he got diagnosed with Stage 4 EGFR lung cancer. While still learning about EGFR and lung cancer, he has started patient advocacy in India at amazing level and was successful to get 1 million INR per year financial assistance from the Jharkhand government to cancer patients. Thanks to Prabhat ji (who is in pharma industry with profession but one of the most passionate patient advocate by heart) for connecting me with Ravi ji.

3) Last but not least, this was the city where I had my first date with Kusum 15 years back, when she had finally accepted my proposal after my months of efforts (lucky me). There, I missed you a lot Kusum, alot.

#Cancer #PatientAdvocacy #Humanity #Hope #Love #RiseToSurviveCancer #LosingIsNotAnOption