This story is from February 5, 2019

Cancer care most required in rural India: Manisha Koirala

Cancer care most required in rural India: Manisha Koirala
BENGALURU: Terming her successful battle against cancer a second life, Bollywood actor Manisha Koirala on Monday said she was constantly looking for stories of hope when she was indisposed but found none.
Taking part in the launch of Centre for Excellence for Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment in Manipal Hospitals, Koirala explained the the cathartic experience she underwent while penning her memoirs about the affliction and cure.

The ovarian cancer survivor said lifestyle modification is the need of the hour to prevent cancer.
Speaking to TOI on the sidelines of the event, Koirala said healthcare is urban-centric and attention is much required in rural India. “I was treated in the US. In India, the healthcare focus is more towards cities and equal focus is needed in rural areas too. Decentralisation of the healthcare is necessary,” she said, adding this can be achieved only if all stakeholders join hands and not the government alone.
Koirala, who was detected with ovarian cancer in 2012, said the disease was in advanced stages when she learnt about it and the symptoms had gone unnoticed.
The actor has recalled the trauma she went through in her book, Healed, which she hopes will inspire many cancer patients. “There are not many success cases of cancer recorded. There was so less hope in all the cancer stories that I had read. So I decided that if I get better I would tell the world my success story,” she said.
The 90% possibilities of recurrence of the disease is nothing but a dagger on her head, Koirala admitted.
“My cancer was detected at the last stage and I’m still here. There is a lack of awareness on ovarian cancer. Cancer attacks when the immune system is low. Cancer treatment is expensive, we need to figure out a way not to fall sick and if one still gets affected, have a positive attitude to face it,” she said.
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