Viji Venkatesh, Region Head of India and South Asia at The Max Foundation, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“‘It is the fear that a diagnosis of cancer evokes that does most of the damage … that is responsible for the stealth of the life that remains’
This sentence simply leaps out at you when you read Dr Blue by Dr Jagannath. It is indeed that fear we have to fight! And it is not about winning or losing a battle. This is one long continuous crusade and how well this line of thought resonates with me. I have always seen this as an ongoing process our work in cancer awareness and cancer care. Mother Nature always being one step ahead of us no matter how many advances science makes.
Which is why the other aspects of the treatment of cancer that Dr J puts forth as of utmost value also ring so true! That of the human touch and the immense inner reserves of strength and courage that come into play.
Reading Dr Blue is like stepping into another world which somehow seems just like yours. A world of everyday people working together to overcome the challenges of dealing with a life altering and life threatening condition. The patient stories are retold with a gentleness that belie the steely strength that lies beneath the demeanour of both the patient and the caregiver not to mention that of the surgeon himself. Any one who knows Dr Jagannath will recognise that quiet characteristic of his in his writing.
I have known the kind, tireless and single minded Dr Blue for more than 35 years; from the time he was in Tata Memorial Hospital till the recent past when we were both members of the Ethics Committee at Raheja Hospital with the late Anita Borges. And Dr Jagannath has been one of our much respected physician partners at The Max Foundation and a cheerleader for Friends of Max. He was the dearly loved surgeon of two of our champion GISTers who owed what life remained to them only to his ministrations. Not to mention his constant support till today whenever we need it.
Personally, I can never forget how despite his hectic schedule in Tata, he guided and mentored me all those decades ago and made it possible for me to secure the first ever fellowship an Indian was awarded by the UICC.
But to go back to the book Dr Blue, it is not only a testament to how Dr Jagannath has wielded his pen as brilliantly as he does his scalpel but to the universal truth that in love lies the secret of survival.
At the Launch on the 2nd of October in Mumbai this was evident for all to see … that personal touch, that overwhelming presence of family and friends and that feeling of completeness.
The date was extra special for me on a personal level too. It was the very day three years ago that cancer took away my husband of 50 years. My old man who was another complete fan of Dr J.”
Other posts featuring Viji Venkatesh on OncoDaily.
