Why can’t Sunshine be Mine?

Minakshi Chaudhry

We never knew sunshine could be so bright, till we came across Minakshi Chaudhry, our newsmaker this week.

First we thought of featuring her in our Sunday column, The Sunday Sip, and it took us time to decide why and where Minakshi could figure, because she is an inspiration herself and her story is inspiring too, but with breast cancer awareness month coming to a close on Monday, we thought of waiting for another day.

Minakshi makes it to our weekly Monday column, The Sip of Life Newsmaker and she actually is. She has recently released her book Sunshine: My Encounter with Cancer (published by Rupa and Co, New Delhi), which so aptly describes her innate struggle and eventual triumph over breast cancer. This is primarily a book about relationships and how love, affection, care and support by family and friends can make a person go through a difficult patch in life.

This is a poignant and emotional account which brings tears to your eyes yet at the end one feels hopeful about life. It is a sincere and honest account of a very personal struggle. The book is a must read for everyone. It would not be wrong to say that the book defines the role of a husband, parents, friends and well wishers at the time of crisis.

What would your first reaction if when your doctor hesitatingly tells you that ‘you have cancer’ and also soberly tries to boost your morale? Generally this news hits like a catastrophe, says Minakshi while talking to The Sip of Life Moderator, Amit Roy. Nevertheless,  this is also a moment to build-up courage and accept the challenge rather than hide in the darkness. For many having “cancer” means death sentence and so may consider their fate sealed. But cancer is not the end of life. Many cancers are curable, particularly when detected early and it is possible to meet this challenge and emerge a winner, she adds.

Thats what Minakshi’s life is all about and that’s what the book is all about-a rendition of a woman’s life who emerged as the winner. Not only she comes out a winner as a result of her personal struggle but becomes an inspiration to other women undergoing treatment.

Minakshi Chaudhry decided to accept the reality and face her fears. Bravely enough she offered herself to undergo the extensive therapies needed to overcome her breast cancer. Aided by an extremely supportive husband, Rakesh, concerned parents, family members and friends, she eventually moved on step by step. The experience not only made her overcome all obstacles thrown in her way but also made her gain a new approach to life.

For Minakshi life was always precious but after this experience she treasures every moment of life more than ever. After treatment she feels a renewed urge to live and routine tasks and daily health goals become the firsts’ of a new life.

Talking to The Sip of Life she explains that the book is a deeply personal account of her struggle wherein she captures the intense experience of her journey to recovery through numerous diary entries and other notes. “The resulting story is an elaboration of the mental and physical fight to conquer a near-fatal disease”, she adds.

Written in a lucid and flowing style author takes the reader along with her to witness the darkest moments and finally emerge in bright sunshine full of hope and happiness. The author comes back from the abyss into a brighter world filled with sunshine with the objective to cherish every moment of life and to make thousands of cancer affected women aware.

She writes in the preface of the book, “Is this a story, or is it my life? Isn’t life a story by itself? So many thoughts crossed my mind when I decided to write this book. Will it inspire others who are in the same boat? Will it help them in other ways? Or will it be informative, at least? I was told many times that the easiest thing to write about were one’s own experiences. But how different it was for me! It was the most difficult task I ever faced. It exhausted me emotionally as I tried to condense two years of my life in these few pages.”

“I had breast cancer and my treatment is now over. I may have it again, who knows? What does that song say? Que sera sera … whatever will be, will be. The future is not ours to see. Yet now I feel a strange kind of tranquility. The worst fear – that of something terrible happening has become a thing of the past. The dark clouds have passed, letting sunshine in.”

Minakshi describes from the very moment when she casually ends up in a clinic just because her friend forced her to go for a routine check up. The book holds you easily as it is written with absolute simplicity and truthfulness. The book not only shows her thoughts but also everybody who are related or attached to her in one way or the other.

Minerva Book House, Shimla has announced that they will donate Rs. 50 on the sale of every book to the cause of cancer care in the state. This is the tenth book by Minakshi. Her other books include bestselling Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills, Love Stories of Shimla Hills, Whispering Deodars: Writings from Shimla Hills, Himachal: A Guide to the Land of Gods, Exploring Pangi Himalaya: A World Beyond Civilisation and A Guide to Trekking in Himachal etc.