Those who defied the odds against Cancer

World Cancer Day is day to empower people to make healthy choices and reduce the social and environmental risk factors for cancer. An initiative towards achievement of the key to the global goal of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025 and reaching the targets of the World Cancer Declaration. 
 
A number of celebrities support this cause and have stood by it in order to spread awareness about different kinds of cancer that exists today. Many of these celebrities are cancer survivors and that’s why they dedicate a lot of their personal time in support of this disease.
 
To list a few, we have the following celebrities, who fought and won over the disease:
 
Yuvraj Singh: Yuvraj Singh, the man who hit six sixes in a row, left his fans shattered when he announced he was suffering from cancer. He underwent treatment in the US and often posted updates and photos on social networking sites. He suffered from a malignant tumour known as seminoma which was found between his lung and heart.

 
Manisha Koirala: Last year, Manisha Koirala was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her treatment took place in New York and she put up a good fight against the disease. She recently posted pictures of herself after her chemo sessions and is raring to come back and start shooting for films.

 
Lisa Ray: Lisa Ray, who made headlines when she donned a high-cut swimsuit for a commercial two decades ago, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a cancer of plasma cells) in 2009. Lisa blogged about her experience and adoption of a positive attitude towards the struggle she had to go through.

 
Anurag Basu: Anurag Basu, the famed director of Barfi was suffering from acute promyelocytic leukemia – a type of blood cancer – in 2004. He stayed optimistic and did not let it affect his life and behaved as if he suffered from a common cold and not cancer even though doctors predicted that his chances of survival were only 50%.

 

Mumtaz: Legendry actress Mumtaz who started out as a child actor with Sone ki Chidiya also suffered from breast cancer. But despite her illness and numerous chemo sessions, she won the battle against cancer at 54. She used to gym, swim, and follow a strict diet to attain her pre-cancer days figure. Now 65, Mumtaz still has that yesteryear’s charm that she wooed everyone with.

 
Devika Bhojwani: Vice president of Women’s Cancer Initiative, Devika survived breast cancer herself before starting this initiative. While dealing with it, she kept her thoughts positive and healed herself using reiki and chants. She came to know about her cancer at an early stage when she saw a sign for mammography in a hospital and decided to take it. Her initiative is in Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and it helps raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.