Brijesh Jaiswal, India

My name is Brijesh Jaiswal, and I am from Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh, near the Nepal border. I am a lung cancer survivor.

In 2021, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. My symptoms began with a persistent cough and small traces of blood in my sputum. At first, I ignored it, as I was physically active and involved in regular work, and I thought it might be something minor. Over time, however, the bleeding increased, and I decided to consult a doctor.

The doctor diagnosed me with tuberculosis (TB), and I underwent a six-month TB treatment course. Even after completing the treatment, the bleeding did not stop. I was then advised to undergo a PET-CT scan. When I got the scan done in Mirzapur, the doctors informed me that there was a tumor in my lungs.

I was told that further treatment would be required to determine the type of tumor. Since there were limited treatment options available locally, we searched online and learned about the Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre in Varanasi. Without delay, we went to Varanasi for treatment.

There, my medical investigations continued for nearly two to three months. A biopsy confirmed that I had Stage III lung cancer. Despite the diagnosis, I never panicked. I firmly believed that if there is a disease, there must also be a treatment. I focused on my work and trusted the doctors and medicines to do their part.

My treatment started in 2021 with chemotherapy, which continued for about four to five months. After that, I underwent surgery. The cancer was in my left lung, and the operation was successful.

It has now been almost three years since my surgery. Today, I live a completely normal life. I wake up early, go for running, work regularly, and carry on with my daily routine just like before. Even during my illness, I continued to work, and after recovery, my mindset remained the same.

I never allowed the thought of “I have cancer” to dominate my mind. I strongly believe that doctors do their work, medicines do their work, and we must continue doing ours.

Today, I face no health issues and live a healthy, normal, and fulfilling life.