Breast cancer survivors take out ‘Pink ride’

HYDERABAD: Deepa Saxena, a 41-year-old HR consultant, saw herself as a cheerful and strong individual, flowing through life as a happy and contented working wife. A year after she got married, everything changed for a brief but agonising period when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2008.  Nine years after she was free of the thyroid cancer, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017.

She was terrified of her diagnosis, the difficult treatment decisions she had to make and the future of her family.  Deepa will never forget the strange lump she felt, as well as the hair loss she experienced as a result of debilitating chemotherapy, radiation, and mastectomy.

Fear did not consume her; instead, she launched herself headfirst into the fight.

"Chemotherapy for breast cancer was punishing and harsh on the body. I was always on my game mentally. I didn't see any reason to let the condition drag me down when I have such a supportive husband, friends and relatives,” she said.

The good news is that Deepa is healthy again after conquering cancer twice with her bravery and tenacity, all with a smile. Her drive inspired her to complete her MBA (HR and marketing), which led to a dream career and the title of Mrs Telangana (1st runner up).

Deepa was one of six breast cancer survivors who rode a Royal Enfield with a convoy of 50 bikes, vrooming on 350 cc and 500 cc bikes.

On Sunday, Deepa along with a large number of men and women with a passion for bikes turned out for advertising filmmaker Pavan Atukuri's biker's ‘Pink October’ campaign themed 'Never give up’ to raise awareness about breast cancer and show support for survivors.

The ride began at 7.30 am with a warm-up at PBEL City, continued to Gachibowli, Thub-2, KBR Park, and Jalavihar Park, then returned to Taj Mahal Hotel in Abids for refreshments at 11 am.

Atukuri mentioned that his cousin died of stage four breast cancer, which had left him emotionally broken. That's when the 49-year-old ad filmmaker decided to "make a noise" through the ‘Pink October’ ride about breast cancer by distributing pink ribbons and wristbands, along the way.

"It had a huge physical and emotional impact on her and I never want to see anyone go through the pain that she went through,” Atkuri said.

Padmaja Valluri, who is also a cancer survivor and a medical counsellor, was invited to participate in the ride. She has battled breast cancer for nearly 23 years and wants to raise awareness to educate people about early detection and save lives.

Breast cancer is an undesirable but faint whisper for her. With three grandchildren, two daughters nearby, and a fulfilling job, she had lots to be happy about. "Early screening and detection are crucial in fighting breast cancer. You need support groups such as this to keep moving forward with a positive outlook," she said.

As the women rode their bikes, they rekindled their passion for life, faced their fears, embraced freedom, and took advantage of the opportunity to live life to the fullest.

The event was organised to provide participants with the opportunity to share their experiences with other breast cancer survivors and to advance their own emotional and psychological healing process.

Breast cancer can affect anyone, from young executives to grandmothers trundled in wheelchairs, as well as school teachers, nurses and techies.

“The campaign aims to prevent breast cancer deaths by motivating women to get early screenings and diagnosis. It's important to fight this disease so we can protect and improve the lives of our mothers, wives, and daughters,” Atukuri added.