Fighting ovarian cancer transformed Manisha Koirala in many ways and the actress says she has now grown to appreciate life.
The 45-year-old Dil Se star has been cancer-free for the last two years.
Manisha says she now understand the importance of life.
Manisha was addressing a session on “Cutting Cancer Down to Size” on the sidelines of the Times Litfest.
Manisha said she had no clue about the disease until she felt very weak and went to a hospital in Kathmandu with her brother.
The actress believes doctors do play an important role in treating a cancer patient.
“Initially, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I was very keen to talk to my doctors to know more about it. When you are a patient, then doctor gives you maximum assurance of your good health.”
Though the disease brings a lot of stress to a family but it also helps them to bind them together.
“I did feel guilty of the kind of situation my family was going through because of me. Cancer helped to bring my family more close. Now, when we face any problem, we just go back to that time and take inspiration from it,” she said.
Post her cancer struggle, the actress appeared in two films - Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot Returns and psychological thriller Chehere: A Modern Day Classic along with Jackie Shroff.
“I had been through a long period of introspection after the disease. I understood that I should always follow my heart and stick to the path which gives me joy and strength.”
The panel, moderated by Harmala Gupta, also had AP Maheshwari, Congress MP Priya Dutt and Bhawna Sirohi.
Dutt, whose mother actress Nargis, died of pancreatic cancer, recalled the difficult period and how her mother insisted on returning to India. “The doctors in the US refused to operate on her because she had already gone through seven surgeries in two weeks. She had to go through another but the doctor said she will die on the operation table.
Dutt said she is planning to build a bone marrow and a platelet registry in India.
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