A surprise diagnosis brings life-changing news

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I am Mangalbai and I am determined to live my LIFE…. Not my disease. My experience with Cervical Cancer is utmost important to me because through this story I want to help, inform and educate women in the rural areas. I must say that I have learned a lot through my Cervical Cancer survival journey.

Through this journey, I realized that Cervical Cancer is nearly completely preventable and the best time to prevent the disease is to go through regular screening process. Hence, when an ASHA worker – Shubhangi informed me about the Cervical Cancer detection camp at my village, I did not give a second thought to visit the camp. I immediately filled the form with the help of other ASHA workers and was all set to visit the Cervical Cancer detection camp which took place at my village – Bhendala.

After visiting the camp and after doing my initial check-ups in GeBBS Foundation cancer detection van ‘Clinic on Wheels’, I realized that I am suffering from Cervical Cancer. The doctors then suggested me to visit the MGM hospital. So, after 3 days I visited the MGM hospital with my reports. The GeBBS Foundation helpdesk volunteers at MGM helped me to get admitted in MGM hospital. They stood by my side until all the admission formalities were done by the hospital. Post admission, I had to go through several tests and finally got operated at MGM free of cost. Today! I am completely out of danger.

I am thankful to GeBBS Foundation for getting me operated free of cost. I come from a lower middle-class family and I lost my husband 35 years ago. Post his death, I always faced financial crunch. My son refused to pay me any visit post detection of my disease. I was quite upset when my son did not bother to visit me at MGM hospital. Soon, I began to realize that the warmth, the affection and the care I received from GeBBS Foundation volunteers is indeed commendable. They took all the care starting from purchasing medicines to giving me food and all sorts of other help. Their support and work made a huge difference in my life. I no longer feel that I am alone, I feel I am related and connected to GeBBS Foundation volunteers. I am extremely grateful to GeBBS Foundation for gifting a new life… and I am ever grateful to them. They helped me to live my life not my disease.

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