Cancer Survivor Sonali Bendre Pays Visit to Her Old Hospital
- Bollywood star and cancer survivor, Sonali Bendre, was treated for cancer 4 years ago.
- She recently visited the hospital where she underwent treatment.
- Bendre has spoken about treatment’s impacts, including hair loss.
Sonali Bendre writes reflectively about being at the same hospital, years later, “This chair, this view, this exact same spot… 4 years later. From sheer terror to continued hope, so much has changed yet so much remains the same. It was unreal to sit there and see patients going in and I could see that I had been through a similar journey… Saw the chemotherapy suite, the same waiting room, faces were different.”
Read MoreView this post on InstagramThe actress continues, “I felt like telling the patients that there’s HOPE, and I am there on the other side and look at me today I have come in for a visit on the other side of the spectrum… It was, as you can guess, a very bittersweet, emotional day. I stepped out, looked my son in the eye, with the sunshine on my face and thanked the universe for everything.”
Sonali Bendre’s Cancer Journey
Bendre first announced that she was diagnosed with cancer in July of 2018 with an Instagram post.
She writes, "Sometimes, when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I have recently been diagnosed with a high-grade cancer that has metastasized, which we frankly did not see coming," she wrote at the time. "A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis. My family and close friends have rallied around me, providing the best support system that anyone can ask for. I am very blessed and thankful for each of them."
Bendre did not name her type of cancer. But we do know she traveled to New York to be treated for her cancer, and while there she held sessions of her book club online for her fans in India. The club focuses on New Age books.
Since her bold disclosure, Bendre documented many milestones in her cancer journey on social media including losing her hair, struggling with treatment, and all the ways cancer has changed her perspective on life.
She spoke at the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations conference about the importance of knowing your risk. "Early detection is most important," Bendre said. "Right now, the disease is less scary … the treatment is actually more frightening and painful. If it were detected early, the cost of treatment would have been less. It would also have been [less] painful treatment."
Coping with Hair Loss During Cancer Treatment
A Supportive Community Through Cancer
Bendre has praised her fans and community for helping her get through her illness. She’s said in posts online while battling cancer, "It's been a year. I can't tell you how instrumental you all have been. Thank you for helping me get through this and for helping me #SwitchOnTheSunshine."
We love how she’s keeping an attitude of gratitude and remaining grateful for her community. Having a strong support network through cancer is so important. Ovarian cancer fighter Beverly Reeves shares in an earlier interview how she thinks having a strong community during cancer is critical. She tells SurvivorNet, “If I had one piece of advice for someone who had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it would be to get a strong support group together. Get your close friends. If you’re connected to a faith community, get your faith community.”
She continues, “Get your family. Let them know what’s going on and let them help you. And sometimes that’s the most difficult thing to do, but just know that they are there. If they love you, they’re there to help you.”
'Faith, Family, and Friends' Helped Beverly Reeves Get Through Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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