03 May Deepa’s Journey through Difficult Times
Background
Deepa (name changed and photo withheld to protect patient privacy), a 40 year old woman lives in Khanpur, a locality in Delhi. She live with her husband, two children and her mother-in-law. She is eldest in her own family, therefore, she and her husband bear a lot of responsibility of her younger siblings. Both she and her husband are educated, and her husband is very supportive of her. However, in taking care of her family and her home, Deepa often doesn’t prioritize her own health. 
First Experience:
One day when CAPED organized a camp in her neighbourhood, her husband was the one who encouraged her to get herself screened. She jumped at the opportunity, as the cancer screening van was partner right around the corner from her home which meant it wouldn’t take too much time, and it was absolutely free of cost.
She underwent screening for cervical, breast and oral cancers, and found the process to be very smooth and comfortable. After screening, she received an abnormal result for cervical screening. The CAPED team advised her on the test result and further steps. At one point, she felt afraid, but the CAPED mobilizer comforted her and she felt reassured. In the immediate next few days, she was taken to Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) for an ultrasound.
After that she was taken to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCIRC) for further tests. She is now preparing to visit the doctor again to understand her reports and find out the next steps. She is being very positive about her health, and feels ready to deal with anything that come her way.
Getting the Right Support:
Throughout the process, she felt empowered to go through the whole process, because she felt supported by her husband as well as the CAPED team. One of CAPED’s team members – whom she fondly calls “bhaiyya” – has been escorting her to the hospitals, and another took care of her little son while she went in to speak with the doctor at the hospital.
Conclusion:
This whole experience highlighted to her how important it is to take care of one’s own health, particularly for women. Despite knowing the importance, many times we don’t act on it. She insists that now she will be more proactive about her health, and even encourage others to do so as well. Her last thought is that throughout this process, she never felt alone, because so many people surrounding her were supporting her.