Think Pink October - From Angelina Jolie to Tahira Kashyap, Breast cancer survivors share their experiences

Tahira Kashyap, wife of actor Ayushmann Khurrana, first went public with her diagnosis of breast cancer with an Instagram post and urged women to delve into their inner resilience while facing such a situation. She shared her experience in a post that read, “This obstacle has given me a new definition of life. Respect its unpredictability and have the faith and courage to be the hero of your own drama of life. The invincible human spirit is God-like. It gives you the courage to endure and the will to revive. There is nothing that human spirit can’t do. Also, I want women of all ages to be aware. I am 35, and I was returned twice over from a mammogram. If any symptoms come up, think of it as a protective force and get yourselves examined. Also, we are so obsessed with boobs. This mastectomy has left me with even more self love! Big, small, left or right inclined, gravity pulling or defying, or even none, each breast — the presence or lack of it — has a story to tell. Mine has made me a 2.0 version of myself! This post is dedicated to awareness, self love and resilience of a warrior that I know each one of us possesses. (sic)”

Grease actor and singer Olivia Newton-John stresses on the importance of self-examination as she believes it helped her battle breast cancer thrice. The actress was first diagnosed with the disease in 1992 after a self-examination, which led to her getting further tests done. Though a mammogram and needle biopsy came out negative, it was only after a surgical biopsy that the cancer was detected. 

She mentioned in an interview, “I don’t tell the story to scare people, but to really stress the importance of knowing your own body and trusting your instincts. This is the very reason I am now such a big supporter of monthly breast self-exams.” In 2017, Olivia announced that the breast cancer had returned and that she was treating it. She has undergone radiation, adopted a healthier diet, and is using ‘cannabis oil’ as part of her ongoing treatment.

Christina Applegate  was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36 in April 2008. She first underwent a lumpectomy (a surgery to remove the abnormal tissue), but after learning that she had the BRCA genetic mutation (aka, the breast cancer gene), she opted for a double mastectomy. Applegate has admitted that the process was an emotional experience, but she also noted that it gave her the opportunity “to go out and fight as hard as I can for early detection.”

Cynthia Nixon of Sex And The City fame was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram. This was way back in 2006, she had to undergo a lumpectomy followed by six-and-a- half weeks of radiation therapy. Since Nixon’s mother is also a breast cancer survivor, she feels that knowing her personal risk empowered her. She admitted that, “It made me more aware and more empowered when I faced my own diagnosis.”

In 2017, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus of Seinfeld fame made a bold move and took to Twitter to announce that she had breast cancer. She tweeted,  “One in eight women get breast cancer. Today, I’m the one. The good news is that I have the most glorious group of supportive and caring family and friends, and fantastic insurance through my union. The bad news is that not all women are so lucky, so let’s fight all cancers...”

Angelina Jolie “proactively” underwent a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing cancer. The   Hollywood actress took the step because she carries a faulty gene that means she is much more likely to suffer from breast or ovarian cancer. That’s because Jolie’s mother died aged 56 after fighting cancer for nearly a decade. She shared, “Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimise the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.”