Meet Dr. Deepica Krishna – The Cheerful Crusader Of Cancer | Verve Magazine
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September 04, 2017

Meet Dr. Deepica Krishna – The Cheerful Crusader Of Cancer

Text by Sharmi Ghosh Dastidar

The doctor and her organisation Celebrate Life are infusing optimism into life even as cancer spreads its noxious tentacles

Cancer is a crippling blow that plagues human existence today. Ensnaring us in its clutch, the disease has permeated into our lives almost like the common cold and cough. Every day millions are bearing the onslaught. The dreaded illness not only truncates life, but the aftermath of its treatment sometimes also smothers the will to live and fight against all odds.

But there’s hope yet. Courtesy, a bunch of do-gooders, who have decided to catch the bull by its horns and fight the battle. While oncologists are releasing patients from the grip of the disease with their miraculous diagnoses and treatments, many individuals and organisations are spreading awareness about the recognition of the disease at an early stage. There are also those who with heart-warming efforts are boosting the morale of patients and traumatised survivors. This story is about one such person who is soldiering to help cancer patients and survivors celebrate life.

Deepica Krishna, born to doctor parents, was brought up in the City of Joy. Surrounded by doctors and talks of diseases all the time, Krishna was sure from her childhood that she would be associated with medicine somehow. It was while she was pursuing her MBBS that she met her future husband, Tarang Krishna, a successful oncologist currently heading the Cancer Healer Centre. From him, she heard stories that depicted the heartbreaking effects of cancer and also saw the suffering up-close. “After a point, I could not take it anymore. Every time I walked into the clinic, I saw dejected patients and crying families. A four-year-old boy was detected with blood cancer. Can you imagine the mental plight of his poor family? A young would-be-bride was diagnosed with cancer when the groom’s family demanded a blood test. The marriage was called off and the girl was devastated. All this because even today there is an insurmountable lack of information on how to detect cancer and at what stage,” explains Dr. Krishna.

Soon she started a wing at her husband’s clinic calling it ‘Celebrate Life’. This wing spreads awareness about cancer through talks and workshops and alleviates the stigma and fear of the malaise. Cancer treatments can disfigure the patient, especially women. Dr. Krishna’s team builds their self-confidence and eggs them to celebrate the indefatigable spirit of life no matter what. Because these are survivors and they need to be celebrated. “Look at Yuvraj Singh and Lisa Ray. They are sending out feelers that it’s just the beginning of their new lives and they are enjoying it manifold. It’s not the end of the road for them. The beautiful journey has just begun. We try to banish the stigma from their minds. It’s all about mainstreaming,” elaborates Dr. Krishna, who loves to travel, sing and paint to de-stress.

Celebrate Life was launched two years ago amid much fanfare. The city has been witnessing plush events hosted by Dr. Krishna such as The Lavender Ribbon Fiesta, a fashion and art show that doubles up as a fundraiser held a few months back. She also participates in several campaigns to spread awareness, including Know Cancer – No Cancer. “I think the government and the medical fraternity of India need to educate the masses about the disease because the tentacles are spreading rapidly. Once there is awareness, the fear and stigma attached to it can be dealt with,” says Dr. Krishna.

A mother of two boys, she one day wants to organise a health carnival in the capital, something which she has experienced during her travels to New York and San Diego. “We can have everything like yoga, health food, aerobics and so on under one roof. Fitness and wellness enthusiasts can benefit from such a carnival. There is so much to look forward to in life that one should not let a disease come in the way. Once people know the disease better they will go in for treatment at the correct time. There won’t be negligence. This is what Celebrate Life is doing. It is educating and broadening the scope for survival and optimism,” rounds off the cheerful crusader.

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