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Women's health

Breast cancer: “I am a stronger person today”

Simran Sethi from India shares her experiences after her breast cancer diagnosis and how self-realization and her family helped her.
4min
Swati Prasad
Published on October 11, 2021

Three women, three countries, three individual breast cancer stories. In the second part of this three-part series, Simran Sethi talks about her journey of self-realization after being diagnosed with cancer amid the pandemic. Simran (49) loves to shop, and she arranged to meet our journalist and photographer at the Dilli Haat market in Pitampura, north Delhi, on a hot and humid afternoon.

Simran Sethi sits on a wall together with journalist Swati Prasad and tells the story of her metastatic breast cancer.
Swati Prasad (left) meets Simran Sethi (right) at Dilli Haat in Delhi.
Simran Sethi stands against a wall at Dilli Haat market in Delhi, India, her favorite place to recharge power after her breast cancer diagnosis.

Simran’s life hasn’t got back to normal either — it’s been a particularly difficult year for her.

A delayed diagnosis

Two graphs show that in 2018, breast cancer was the most common cancer in India, accounting for 27.7 percent of all cancer cases. The mortality rate from breast cancer was 23.5 percent.

In 2018, breast cancer was not only diagnosed as the most common cancer among women of all ages in India. Breast cancer also captured the highest mortality rate.[1]

A mammogram shows calcifications, which proves to be a malignant tumor in biopsy.

If breast cancer is detected at a late stage, treatment is often difficult. The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the treatment options and the chances of cure.This patient's mammogram showed calcification in the relatively dense breast tissue. Tissue examination after biopsy revealed a malignant tumor about 3 cm in size. Fortunately, the lymph nodes were not affected. (Quelle: StudyID1aab056)

‘My life is over’

Simran Sethi stands pensively in Dilli Haat market: at first after her breast cancer diagnosis, she thought her life was over.

Counting her blessings

Simran Sethi sits on a wall and smiles confidently because she has learned how important it is to take care of yourself first, then others.
By Swati Prasad
Swati Prasad is a freelance journalist based in Delhi, writing on business, economy, technology and healthcare. She reports from India for several publications overseas and has worked as a correspondent and editor for The Economic Times, Business Standard, The Indian Express, and Business Today.

  1. 1 

    Breast cancer that has extended beyond the immediate region of the tumor.
  2. [1] https://www.breastcancerindia.net/statistics/latest_statistics_breast_cancer_india.html
  1. The shooting/the interview/fotoshooting took place under all necessary health and safety measures according to local Covid-19 regulations.

  2. The statements by Siemens Healthineers customers described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer’s unique setting. Since there is no “typical” hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same results.