Page 114 - ACCF - Stories of Resilience

A HEARTBREAKING ENCOUNTER

We found Kalpana sitting outside her modest hut, her frail body bent as she tended to her daily chores. She was in her early
sixties, but the lines on her face told a story of hardship far beyond her years. Her lips were disfigured, grotesquely swollen
due to an overgrowth that covered much of her lower face. Pain etched across her features betrayed her, even as she attempted
a smile to greet us.

“Namaskar, Ma. We’re here to conduct free oral cancer screenings. Would you allow us to examine you?” I asked gently.
She hesitated at first but eventually nodded, her trembling hands adjusting her saree. As I began the examination, the sight
was heartbreaking. Her oral cavity was riddled with advanced lesions—raw, ulcerated patches that bled upon touch. It was
clear this was not a recent development; the disease had been gnawing at her for years.

“How long have you been dealing with this, Ma?” I asked softly, trying to mask the alarm in my voice.
She looked down, avoiding eye contact. After a long pause, she replied, “For many years now. I don’t remember when it started.
At first, it was just a small sore. Then it grew and grew until I could no longer bear the pain.”

114
BEING POSITIVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE YOU CAN TAKE