Bengaluru, 19 July 2022: With the mission to spread awareness about positive living after cancer treatment, Apollo Cancer Centres (ACC), ranked as the best private cancer hospitals in India and one of the best in the world, celebrates Life after Cancer with its recent initiative ‘Peak to Peak—Winning over Cancer’ – a 5-day trek with cancer survivors and caregivers. The initiative, which was flagged off from Dehradun, has been centralized around to address negative associations attached to any patient who undergoes a cancer therapy.
Eight cancer survivors from different parts of the country embarked on an enthralling journey on June 4, 2022, from Dehradun to Dayara Bugyal in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, traversing along the luscious green meadows and rich landscape to scale the height of 11,830 ft.
From Bengaluru, the duo Dr Rani Akhil Bhat, Lead Surgeon Consultant – Gynec Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres along with cancer survivor – Archana Hosangadi, the 50-year-old from Bengaluru who scaled a height of 11,830 ft. in Uttarakhand, were a part of the initiative.
Dr. Jayanti Thumsi, Lead Surgeon – Breast Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, who treated Archana, pointed out that there has been an immense advancement in the treatment of Breast Cancer.
She said, “Not only is the treatment planning important but also the quality of life after cancer treatment. She (Archana) had a disease that was restricted only to her breast and, considering various other factors, we planned a Breast Conservation Surgery with Sentinel Node Biopsy and Local Oncoplastic Surgery. She recovered well from the surgery and her final Histopathology report suggested it to be a Stage 2, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).”
TNBC tends to be an aggressive type, hence, the medical team planned to give her eight cycles of chemotherapy at three weekly intervals. This was followed by 25 sittings of radiation therapy.
Commenting on the initiative, Dr Manish Mattoo, Chief Executive Officer, Karnataka Region, said, “We, at Apollo, have aligned our vision and mission with our motto – Winning over Cancer. Encouraging our patients to heal with Apollo’s tender loving care and conquering the fear of cancer. In this age of technical advancement, cancer can be treated with right knowledge of experts if the condition is diagnosed in right time. It is imperative that we educate our patients and their families to help them understand the issue and solution better. There are always hiccups but the strength lies in overcoming the fear and growing out of it. With Peak-to-Peak initiative, we showcase the underlying strength a cancer warrior has who wants to be healthy and grasp the adventures of life with excitement.”
Commenting on the Peak to Peak initiative, Dr. Rani Bhat, Senior Gynec Oncologist, said, “We, at the Apollo Cancer Centers, believe treating cancer is only a part of the journey; we want to address the overlooked needs of our survivors. We wanted our cancer survivors to realize that they can still lead a normal life after cancer treatment, thus ‘Peak to Peak’ was born. We had eight cancer survivors who trekked to Dayara Bugyal which is situated at 11,840 ft in Uttarakhand and successfully completed it. The event was a symbol of CELEBRATION for those who have survived, an INSPIRATION for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of SUPPORT for families, and an OUTREACH to the community.”
Sharing her journey with Apollo Cancer Centre, Archana Hosangadi, said, “I was diagnosed with Triple-negative breast cancer, 2nd stage in May 2019. Thereafter, I went through surgery, very intense chemotherapy of eight cycles and 25 radiations, which although helped me to heal from illness, left me weak and drained all my confidence. I did get back to the gym shortly after my treatment but always felt the confidence lacking.”
According to her, it was fulfilling to see and experience that all the eight survivors could make it to the top.
“The initiative was aptly called “Peak to peak”, considering the conquest of our illness to the conquest of the mountain. I was overwhelmed when I reached the summit and felt triumphant that I had conquered my fear; my confidence is now back and I plan to continue trekking on a regular basis,” Archana added.
In line with the motto – ‘Winning over Cancer’, ACC aims to bust the myth around cancer and spread positivity by sharing the story of cancer survivors. The core thought is in the belief of winning is not only conquering cancer physically but also mentally.
