Cancer Patient Himself Became Inspiration For Other Cancer Patients
Update: 2022-04-03 21:03 IST
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Rishi Ajatshatru, a cancer patient since 2002, has evolved into a motivational speaker who encourages others to live a happy and healthy life. Rishi not merely holds regular yoga sessions for cancer patients, but he also hosts events such as 'Chai for Cancer' and raises funds for cancer patients through crowdfunding.
Rishi claims that when he first learned of his condition, he became tremendously depressed. His life, however, was turned upside down when he met Dr. S H Advani at Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital. The doctor said that people will not die of the disease, but do not die in its name. Those words had a profound impact on him.
He said that before he was diagnosed with the disease, he went to a few Art of Living workshops, which he continued and eventually became an Art of Living teacher. Then he began teaching yoga and meditation to others. Rishi added that every year, he taught yoga at the All India Cancer Patients' event, where he also invited to encourage patients to practise yoga on a regular basis, which would aid in their rehabilitation as well as maintain them physically healthy.
His illness is incurable, but he has demonstrated that with daily medication and meditation, he can live a normal life. He has Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), which causes the white blood cells (WBC) to grow malignant and kill the red blood cells (RBC), resulting in a blood shortage in the body.
From his experience, Rishi had a a small possibility of my survival, but he persisted with the Art of Living classes and began conducting regular meditation and'sudarshan kriya,' which served a huge role in bringing my life back on track.
CML patients are usually need to take the drug Gleevec every day. It costs roughly Rs 4,000 per tablet, making it impractical for the average person to continue for an extended period of time. The Max Foundation gives medicine for free, but it must be physically delivered to Mumbai.
While visiting Mumbai on a monthly basis, he witnessed several impoverished people who were unable to afford the costs of travelling to Mumbai to provide medicine.
As a result, he began raising funds through crowdfunding by hosting an event called 'Chai for Cancer,' where we serve tea in exchange for donations. He explained that f or a cup of tea, people donate as much as Rs 25,000, Rishi remarked. This money goes to people who can't afford to fly to Mumbai to get their medicine.
Meanwhile, more than 19,000 CML sufferers have enrolled with the Max Foundation across India, according to local businessman Mohit Chopra, who is also a volunteer in Rishi's team.