I grew up in the 1980s and '90s hearing the folklores and adventure stories from my grandfather, in a village called Aloor, in the Thrissur district of Kerala. I fondly called him 'Appachen.' He was a learned man. Appachen graduated in Agricultural Sciences from Allahabad university. After his course, he became one of the first agricultural officers in Kerala back in the 1930s and '40s. However, like everyone else during that era, not knowing the harmful effects of tobacco, he smoked beedi and chewed tobacco. As he didn't have teeth, I ground beetle leaves, areca nuts, and tobacco in a mortar and pestle while he went on with his stories.

I was 12 years old when Appachen developed a small ulcer in the mouth. He called me to have a look at it. I could see a small whitish area against his glistening red mouth from the pan masala. A few days later, one of our relatives came home for a friendly visit. She was a gynecology doctor. Nevertheless, she had a look at his small oral ulcer. She confirmed the probable diagnosis that everyone in the family had in mind – cancer.

Cancer diagnosis scared the family. Fortunately, we had a cancer center with all facilities not very far from our house. But to go there, meet the doctor, and get help, my Appachen said no. In his head, he decided he is going to die. Many of his close relatives and friends tried to coax him to take treatment, but no success. He was a proud man and said he wants to die with dignity.

In the beginning, the ulcer was painless. However, as days went by, it started showing its true colors. It increased in size and fungated to become a cauliflower-like growth on Appachen's cheek. Later, a small hole developed in this growth through that food started to leak. All these were manageable except for the excruciating pain cancer caused. We watched him helplessly when such breakthrough cancer pain occurred. I still remember him sitting on his bed, holding his face in both arms when such pain manifested.

Even at this stage, my Appachen said no to treatment. However, he agreed to take painkillers. Appachen succumbed to cancer approximately 2 years since the formation of that tiny oral ulcer. 

I still do not know why I chose to join MBBS. I believe I picked it subconsciously because I witnessed my Appachen's misery, and, also, I was good in academics. While pursuing the course, I realized that Appachen had stage 1 buccal mucosa cancer. I learned that he could have been saved just with surgery alone and, most probably, would not have required radiation or chemotherapy. I felt sad then that he didn't agree to even go to the doctor to understand his disease and his treatment options to have made an informed decision.

After the MBBS course, when the time came to choose my specialty, there wasn't much confusion. I straight away decided to become a cancer doctor. In 2012, I joined Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, New Delhi, to pursue my post-graduation in radiation oncology.

The story doesn't end here.

Six months later my joining the course, my family had a second run-in with cancer. This time it was my father; he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It may sound straight out of a movie. But, unlike Appachen, fortunately, my father agreed to undergo treatment. My father is cancer-free now, touchwood. I thought, even though I couldn't save my grandfather, I saved my father.

Both these stories are very personal to me. Still, I thought I must share it with you all because I know so many of us are scared to get medical help. Let me remind you, most cancers are preventable, and if treated early, it is curable.