Nikita Mukherjee, India shared by Shobha

My Cancer Story- The lump that I didn't ignore 

-Nikita Mukherjee 

In 2020, I felt something unusual near my navel, a strange moving blob on the outer wall of my abdomen. It didn’t hurt. There were no dramatic symptoms. Just a feeling that something inside my body didn’t belong there, but I tried not to overthink it. But my instinct refused to stay silent.

After multiple MRI scans and CT scans, the uncertainty became heavier than fear. On 31st October 2020, I underwent surgery, but that blob was an aggressively growing tumour. 

I was diagnosed with stromal sarcoma, and after further FISH testing, the final diagnosis came as Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma. Cancer, a word that instantly changes how you look at your body and your future.

By God’s grace, I didn’t need chemotherapy or radiotherapy. My treatment ended with surgery, but the emotional journey had only just begun because it's all about tiring follow-ups, more tests every 3 months, and I tell you it's not fun.

Not just from the women in my life but especially from the men in my family. They stood beside me without discomfort, without silence, without treating my illness as a taboo. They asked questions, showed up, and stayed strong so I could be vulnerable. And that’s when I realised something important.

In our society, conversations around women’s health, especially cancers related to the uterus, cervix, or breasts, are often whispered or avoided altogether. There’s shame where there should be awareness.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and neither should support. Men play a crucial role in a woman’s cancer journey as caregivers, partners, brothers, sons, and allies. When men understand, speak up, and stand firm, stigma loses its power.

I survived not just because of medical intervention but because I was heard, supported, and never made to feel alone.

If my story can do one thing, let it be this:

Normalize conversations around women’s cancers. Encourage men to be part of the dialogue. And remind every woman to trust her instincts because sometimes, listening to your body can save your life.