Lisa Ray diagnosed with incurable cancer

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Canadian born Bollywood actress Lisa Ray has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells known as plasma cells, which produce antibodies. It is a rare and incurable disease.

Lisa Ray blog The Yellow Diaries revealed the tragic news yesterday. She said that she decided to undergo medical examination after her bone marrow started sending her messages a few months ago. Many advised her not to reveal the tragic news as it would affect her career but she decided to tell the truth.


“I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma on June 23rd. Started my first cycle of treatment July 2nd. Not long ago. For me, it was a relief to hear what was wrong. The plasma cells in my bone marrow were rampaging, multiplying, sqeezing out the red blood cells and it was time to begin doing something about it. You just know when something is kosher with your body. When I got the news, I didn't react and didn't cry. I am an actress, believe me, I can be dramatic," she wrote.

She knows the fact that Myeloma is incurable but she has not lost hope. “It’s a relatively rare cancer of the bone marrow that affects about 6000 Canadians. Every year, approximately 2100 more cases are diagnosed,” she wrote adding, “But only with an ever expanding toolbox of treatments and awareness can this Cancer be beat. So I’m going to do everything I can to wrench the spotlight onto Myeloma and Cancer Awareness. I believe it can be cured.”

She has started the gruelling treatment to fight the deadly disease. She wrote, “When I’m on steroids, I can feel my skin stretch and expand and move in ways and sensations I haven’t felt before. It can be fascinating (for some like myself) to meditate on the pathways of your organism. I bloat up to three [^] times my normal ’size’. It’s like putting on a wetsuit. Except its kinda permanent. Until you stop taking the roids. Then I deflate again.”

The good news is that she getting better and feeling strong. “I’m getting better. My prognosis, given my ‘Junior’ status and stage of disease, is very good. I’m aiming for Full Remission- and with Dr Galal and Velcade as my co-conspirators- this mission is in the bag. That’s my claim and I’m plowing it into the mountaintop. Though I’m not sure why I keep mixing up ‘Remission’ with ‘Transmission’ and ‘Transgression’- maybe that will get clearer down the line,” she wrote.

Lisa Ray [^] started off as a model and then plunged into Bollywood through Kasoor in 2001 opposite Aftab Shivdasani [^]. She has acted in films like Water [^], Bollywood/Hollywood and many others. Her latest film I Can't Think Straight [^] by Shamim Sharif is scheduled for release on September 11.

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