Cancer taught Manisha Koirala to value life; actress said disease made her kinder, gentler
The 48-year-old actress won a tough battle against ovarian cancer in 2012.
By PTI |
BCCL
Manisha Koirala
JAIPUR: Actor Manisha Koirala, who won a tough battle against ovarian cancer, said Sunday the dreaded disease had changed her as a person, as she is now kinder and values her life and health more.
The 48-year-old actor from Nepal said it was very important to have an open conversation about the disease.
She said cancer had made her kinder, gentler and had taught her that “we are all interconnected and intertwined”.
“I took my life for granted. I neglected my health, that is why cancer came to me as a teacher, it came to me as a lesson. I value my life more now, love my family, value my health because I realised if one is not healthy, one cannot enjoy any aspect of living,” she told PTI on the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival.
Manisha also spoke at a session where she discussed her book "Healed: How Cancer Gave Me a New Life" which opens with the sentence “I don't want to die".
Manisha Koirala
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“The thought of death is the first thing that comes to mind when a person is diagnosed with cancer. I was utterly shocked when I came to know about the disease. It was the loneliest night. Even a familiar journey from Kathmandu to Mumbai which I had taken umpteen times felt so different,” she said.
Manisha, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, said she became conscious of people's gestures and emotions while grappling with the disease.
"When I was sick, I was searching for positive stories. I could not get many stories, except the success story of (actor) Lisa Ray and (cricketer) Yuvraj Singh, who came out fighting successfully with cancer,” she said.
"So I decided that when I recover, I will share my stories with people. I also believe that sharing helps lower the burden from your head and heart. Hence, I wrote the book,” she said. Manisha Koirala
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Noting that the cancer treatment was expensive in India, she said the patients needed more awareness to cure the disease in time.
“It is important to take your own decisions and take control of yourself rather than relying on others, and it is absolutely vital to have information about the disease,” she said.
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Talking about the support she received, Manisha said although many strangers turned up and helped a great deal, yet the all important emotional support came from her mother.
“I had to make peace with my death. I made a promise to myself that if I get to live again I will spread awareness about cancer… It is the perception towards the problem that matters. You can take it as a challenge or see it as something that you cannot overcome,” said Manisha, who is goodwill ambassador for the UN Population Fund.
“It would be nice if women go out and prove themselves, make a statement for themselves and make it known that they deserve something rather than playing a victim card,” she said.
Manisha Koirala To a question on her biopic, she said, “I still have a lot to do so that an interesting movie is made on my life… I will continue acting as I am in love with films and acting."
Born into the prominent Koirala family in Nepal, Manisha made her Bollywood debut with "Saudagar" in 1991 and went on to act in films like "1942: A Love Story", "Akele Hum Akele Tum", "Bombay", "Khamoshi: The Musical", "Dil Se", "Mann", "Lajja" and "Company".
She took a break from acting in 2012 and returned five years later with the coming-of-age drama "Dear Maya", Netflix's "Lust Stories" and "Sanju".
Celebs Who've Fought Serious Illnesses And Inspired Us To Stay Strong
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If you felt like tearing up after having seen Sonali Bendre's Instagram post on Tuesday where she quotes Chilean author Isabel Allende on staying strong, and chops off her tresses, you are not alone.
Many, including her compatriots from the industry and well-wishers, have been feeling emotional and wished her a speedy recovery. But the 44-year-old actress is not the only one who has managed to stay strong in the face of adversity.
Over the past decade, a few others have shown amazing courage and grace while battling medical conditions in real life, and proving to be a source of source of inspiration for their fans.
From Salman Khan to Yuvraj Singh, and Irrfan Khan, we stay inspired by some extraordinary stories of hope and strength.
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Earlier in March this year, actor Irrfan Khan revealed on social media in a series of posts that he had been diagnosed with NeuroEndocrine Tumour. The 51-year-old actor is presently undergoing treatment for the same in London.
Right after the reports came out, Shah Rukh Khan rushed to the ailing actor's residence to meet him before he left for his treatment in London. The superstar also gave him the keys to his London house so that Irrfan's family could feel at home during the treatment.
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Bollywood actor Salman Khan has also had a second coming of sorts. The 'Dabangg' actor had been diagnosed with the neuropathic disorder, Trigeminal Neuralgia, in 2007. Also called as the 'suicide disease', the pain in the face, jaw and cheek gets intense and severe. The actor underwent a nerve surgery in the US in 2011 and was back shooting for 'Ek Tha Tiger'.
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Away in Hollywood, it was bad news for Hugh Jackman's fans. In 2016, 'The Wolverine' star went through the fourth procedure for skin cancer on his nose. The actor first came to know about basal-cell carinoma, the mildest form of cancer, in November 2013. The actor has time and again asked his fans on social media to wear sunscreen to safeguard cancer.
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Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. The actress immediately went to the US for her treatment, and was declared cancer-free for about two years in 2015. Recently, she made a comeback as Nargis Dutt on the big screen in Raju Hirani's blockbuster 'Sanju'.
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Yuvraj Singh, too, has fought all odds and showed grit, away from the field. The cricketer was diagnosed with mediastinal seminoma, a germ-cell tumour located between his two lungs, after the 2011 ICC World Cup. Initially, the cricketer did not believe the doctors and continued to play, which deteriorated his health further. He underwent chemotherapy in the United States in 2012. He also went through Ayurveda treatment and rehabilitation the same year. The sportsman also released an auto-biographical narrative 'The Test of My Life: From Cricket to Cancer and Back' in 2013.
In 2016, the cricketer married model-actress Hazel Keech. He has also invested in a series of health start-ups following his recovery.
Also see: All picture's from the couple's big, fat wedding
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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan believes he was reborn on August 2, 1982, after his emergency surgery at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. The Big B had suffered splenic rupture due to an accident on the sets of Manmohan Desai's 'Coolie' in the University of Bangalore. During the surgery, the actor went into a coma due to the nature of the injury. Shortly after the 'Coolie' incident, he was diagnosed with a muscle dysfunctional disorder - Myasthenia Gravis. The condition makes it difficult for patients to perform simple tasks like brushing one's teeth, lifting arms, walking, etc. The 'Deewar' actor was treated with therapy and medicines, and recovered from the condition, but the doctors indicated that it can trigger any time.
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In 2009, model-turned-actress Lisa Ray was diagnosed with a rare disease - multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells known as plasma cells, which produces antibodies. In 2010, she announced that she was cancer-free, after a stem cell transplant. Two years on, she got married to Jason Dehni, a banking executive and philanthropist, in the Napa Valley.
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