Asian artist inspires community to end cancer tabboo

Monday 10th September 2018 11:33 EDT
 
 

Bollywood singer and songwriter Veronica Mehta, 44, of Uxbridge who survived breast cancer, spoke on Monday about 'breaking the stigma' around the disease in the Asian community on a Sunrise radio show, which is dedicating the month to supporting Cancer research UK's Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

44 year old Mehta found a lump in her left breast while heavily pregnant with her third child Veer. She was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in October 2016 and had a Caesarean section in order to start treatment. The London born singer who is well known in the Asian circle kept her diagnosis from her fans, as she wanted to keep her 'private life private' in line with her cultural background.

According to a report in the Evening Standard, she said, “If a couple of people found out about my situation – there is a bit of a stigna attached to it. Had I done smething wrong? Or perhaops it was karma? And that would really upset me.

“The older generation come with that. Now when I come out with my story I don't believe the younger generation will think like that at all- I think they will embrace and support it. It's just not enough people have spoken about it. We need to break that stigma.” she added.

She told the show that the hardest thing was telling her two daughters 8 year old Mya and 6 year old Esha.

Despite undergoing mastectomy as well as chemotherapy, she manged to write and release a record, Mere Dil Mein from the Bollywood film Half Girlfriend. She also worked on a score for the film Boogie Man for which she has won an award at the UK Asian Film Festival. Mehta is now clear of cancer and awaiting breast reconstruction.  

photo courtesy: Twitter


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