The lesser-known hero

Detected of breast cancer a few years ago, Harshula Tulapurkar's journey back to health has taken a long time, but she has faced it all with a smile on her face. A mother to two, Tulapurkar's survival story is not just inspiring, but also one that teaches people to face hard times fearlessly.

This braveheart will lead the 'Sheroes Squad' of cancer survivors at the SBI Pinkathon, one of India's biggest women's marathon, which will take place at BKC, Bandra this Dec 14. Tulapurkar has been sweating it out since a fortnight so as to train her body for the run, and is thoroughly enjoying the same.

Acceptance is the first step that one should take post cancer detection. Tulapurkar agrees, "Many women, when told that they are detected breast cancer, end up living in denial. This happens because of two major reasons—they think of it as a feminine issue and get emotional about the same, and they start thinking that 'such a thing can never happen to me'."
Tulapurkar believes that when a person is detected of cancer, they don't have the luxury of wasting time on trivial thoughts. It is only wise to accept the situation, that too with a smile. She chips in, "The disease will be a part of you everyday when you wake up, till you are cured; so you might as well wake up with a smile."

Having friends and family close at such a tough time can boost one's morale. But sometimes, people can end up offering the most bizarre advices only to annoy the patient. That's when it helps to laugh it off! Nothing cures like humour does; it is believed. Tulapurkar held on to the same approach. She shares, "There are moments that are extremely irritating but what I really do is laugh at it. I remember someone once suggested I should chant mahamrityunjay jaap. There were others who were at a loss of words since they didn't know what they could possibly discuss with me 'now'. I would just laugh it off."
Tulapurkar also tells us that she came across many people whose overall attitude towards her changed only because of the way she started looking due to the treatment. "People would look at me and pause, because I gained a lot of weight, had swelling of body parts, lost a lot of hair (even my eyebrows). People would just stare!"

What Tulapurkar never expected and still fails to understand is the stigma attached to breast cancer. On undergoing chemotherapy, she came across women from every strata of society. A patient she met, revealed that her in-laws were unaware of her condition. A shocked Tulapurkar says, "I just couldn't understand why someone would have reservations about this. This one patient I know didn't inform her in-laws as she was sure they would not accept her condition gracefully. Once she borrowed my wig when she had to meet them, only in an attempt to hide the truth."
She also shudders at the thought of how people look down upon and treat breast cancer patients. Tulapurkar elaborates, "I met another patient at the hospital who shared with me that her neighbours had stopped using curry leaves from a tree she had planted. All this because a cancer patient was watering the plant!"

Tulapurkar is thankful that her family have been more than supportive. She believes that the support of those close to you can help you sail through tough times like these.
She concludes, "Family plays a crucial role in such a situation. I am grateful that my family has been extremely forthcoming. My husband is the coolest guy on this earth; him backing me up as well as my kids' support helped boost my confidence. Such acceptance is needed, only then can we get rid of the stigma attached to breat cancer."