Page 113 - ACCF - Stories of Resilience

Jorhat District

AGAINST THE TIDE

t was a cold February morning, and the smoke of
Ifreshly brewed tea from roadside kiosks mingled with
the fog that hung over Assam’s verdant tea gardens. Our
team of healthcare professionals was conducting door-
to-door oral cancer screening camps in remote rural
areas. The day began like any other, armed with our
screening kits and pamphlets as we made our way into
the heart of a bustling tea estate.
The community here comprised tea garden laborers
who toiled under the sun for long hours, often unaware
of the health hazards they faced. Tobacco chewing and
poor oral hygiene were rampant, making oral cancer
a leading cause of morbidity in the region. As we
moved from household to household, we encountered
cases ranging from mild oral lesions to suspected
malignancies. Each story was unique, each individual
carrying their own battles and scars. But one case stood
out—Kalpana, whose plight would haunt me for days to
come.

ASSAM CANCER CARE FOUNDATION 113