Ahmedabad: As Gujarat grapples with rising head and neck cancer cases, an unlikely army of advocates has emerged: the survivors themselves. These patients, bearing visible scars from their battles with tobacco-related cancers, are active anti-tobacco campaigners. Jagdish Patel (name changed), 44, carries the visible reminder of his fight against oral cancer — a gap in his cheek left by more than 10 medical procedures. The Rajkot auto driver does not shy away from the curious stares and questions he encounters from passengers. “I tell them upfront that it was tobacco that did it, and that it is because of the doctors and my family’s prayers that I am still sustaining my family. I wish nobody goes through the same journey,” he says. Now part of awareness groups in Rajkot, Patel organizes events targeting young people in a region known for consuming faaki and mava, a potent mix of tobacco, betel nut and lime. Oncologists too have been relying heavily on the testimonies of cancer survivors to create awareness on the perils of tobacco consumption. Shaktisinh Rajput (name changed), a 71-year-old retired teacher, was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer a decade ago, Rajput underwent surgery to remove his larynx, a procedure that initially left him feeling disconnected from society. However, his daughter noted that his teaching instincts remained strong. “His nature as a teacher persisted, and he started a no-tobacco campaign in educational institutes,” she told TOI. Dr Kaustubh Patel, head and neck oncosurgeon with HCG Oncology, said that these patients, who have lived the experience of going through the treatment, often guide new patients in support groups. “Cancer alters a person’s life in multiple ways, and these survivors always help us whenever we ask them for their participation in tobacco prevention efforts,” he said.
