Shahid Akhtar's story

~Patient themselves speaking

​

What is your name?
My name is Shahid Akhtar.

And what type of cancer do you have?
It's mouth cancer.

When did you find out about it?
I found out about four months ago.

And how did you come to know?
The gum above my tooth got swollen, so I got treatment from a dentist for about a month, but there was no improvement. Then I went to GBH American Hospital, got the gum surgically removed and tested — and the result came out positive for cancer.

So where have you received treatment from so far?
Just here — I'm getting treatment only at the government hospital, and not anywhere else.

And is the cost of your treatment covered by the government? Do you have any insurance?
Yes, it's through government insurance — the Chief Minister's Bhamashah Card — that I'm receiving treatment.

Apart from this treatment, are you doing anything else like Ayurveda, etc.?
Yes, I’ve been advised about all of that too.

That makes sense. And what would you like to say to those who have just been diagnosed with cancer? Any advice?
Yes, I’d say don’t keep it in your mind that you have cancer. If you keep thinking about it, you’ll stay stressed. Just eat, drink, enjoy life, and keep following the doctor's advice.

And how are you feeling now?
When I found out I had cancer, I was a little scared — it felt like a very dreadful disease. But then I ignored it. I thought, if I fight it, I’ll win.