.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
Telugu actor Hamsa Nandini took to social media on December 20 to announce her breast cancer diagnosis. Hamsa Nandini conveyed that she has been diagnosed with Grade III Invasive Carcinoma (breast cancer). In an extensive post, the 37-year-old actor revealed that she had received the diagnosis four months ago. Sharing a photo of herself, the actor began the note by writing that she refuses to quit and will fight it with love and courage. "No matter what life throws at me, no matter how unfair it may seem, I refuse to play the victim. I refuse to be ruled by fear, pessimism, and negativity. I refuse to quit. With courage and love, I will push forward." She added that 18 years ago, she had also lost her mother to “a dreadful disease” and since then, “lived under its dark shadow.”
The actor discovered a small lump in her breast, for which she had an operation done. She opened up in the post that the lump was removed and the oncologists said it had not spread much. "Within a couple of hours, I was at a mammography clinic getting the lump checked out. I was asked to immediately meet up with a surgical oncologist who suggested that I needed a biopsy. The biopsy confirmed all my fears and I was diagnosed with a Grade III Invasive Carcinoma (Breast Cancer). After a plethora of scans and tests, I walked bravely into the Operation Theatre where my tumour was removed. At this point, the doctors confirmed that there was no spread and I was lucky to have caught it early. A silver lining."
The actor mentioned that she had to undergo 16 cycles of chemotherapy and radiation for the next three years and so far, she has undergone nine cycles. “The relief was short-lived as I tested positive for BRCA1 (hereditary breast cancer). This means that I have a genetic mutation that almost guarantees that I would have a 70% chance of another breast cancer and a 45% chance of ovarian cancer throughout my life. The only way to mitigate the risk is through some very extensive prophylactic surgeries which I need to undergo before I can claim victory," her post read.
She added that she has decided to help educate and inspire others. "I have made myself a few promises – I will not let this disease define my life and that I will fight it with a smile and win. I will get back on screen better and stronger. I will tell my story so that I can help educate and inspire others and I will consciously celebrate life and all it has to offer," Hamsa Nandini wrote.
Towards the end of the post, she extended her gratitude to her family, friends as well as colleagues from the film fraternity. "My inboxes are full with your messages enquiring about my absence. To you all, I would like to say a big thank you for your love and concern which has kept me going through this ordeal. I assure you that I am under the care of an exceptional team of doctors. This along with the unbridled support of my family, friends, and the film fraternity, I'm putting up a spirited fight with a dense dose of positivity and gratitude," she wrote.
Read her full post here:
No matter what life throws at me, no matter how unfair it may seem, I refuse to play the victim. I refuse to be ruled by fear, pessimism, and negativity. I refuse to quit. With courage and love, I will push forward. pic.twitter.com/GprpRWtksC
— Hamsa Nandini (@ihamsanandini) December 20, 2021
(With inputs from IANS)