Cancer’s name is enough to fill our hearts with dread and anxiety. Forget about having a fighting spirit. People fear it’s mentioned too. We feel bad if we hear someone is diagnosed with cancer. Jayant Kandoi is a six times cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with cancer when he was in 10th standard. He was devastated by the news, but he gathered his broken pieces to fight a war against the illness. Fortunately, he won it but much to his dismay, the disease recurred, and he had to go through it again. You would be shocked to know that his cancer returned six times, and he managed to survive every time.
Such is the trauma and pain this disease causes. Apart from physical pain, it affects mental health too. Painful chemo sessions and their side effects can tear a patient’s morale in pieces. It can quickly put someone under mental trauma and force them to give up on life. However, a few courageous people like Jayant Kandoi possess the spirit to fight against something as deadly as cancer.
We were amazed by his journey, so we decided to know more about him. Here is Jayant Kandoi’s story in length. Let’s read this inspiring story and applaud his courage.
Jayant Kandoi – My Story
I’m Jayant Kandoi. Currently, I’m pursuing MBA, and along with my studies, I work for an NGO. I was diagnosed with cancer back in 2013. Like any other normal kid, I was living happily, studying hard to live a successful life, but there was something else written in my fate.
One day, I felt pain on the right side of my neck, and when we looked closely, there was some abnormal tumor present on my neck. I approached the doctor to know more about it. The doctor seemed worried, and he asked me to go for multiple tests. Reports arrived, and I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of cancer.
To know more, I researched the type. I came to know that Hodgkin’s Lymphoma type of cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cells called Lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed- Sternberg cells are present in the patient’s Lymph Nodes.
After hearing the truth, I couldn’t stand my ground. It was heartbreaking because I was barely 16 years old and suffering from a deadly disease. Then news turned my life upside down. I didn’t know how to deal with the situation. The doctor told us that it was the first stage of cancer. It came as a relief, but I knew that I had miles to cover.
Different questions knocked my mind, such as ‘Will I die? Will I be able to look after my family? Will I be able to continue my studies? And many more things that disturbed my peace. Later I learned that ‘I cannot beat cancer if I choose to live with fear. To fight against it, I’ll have to accept the truth.’ So I accepted my diagnosis.
I convinced my mind to beat cancer, and I became determined to live and thrive with my illness. I shifted to Jaipur for further treatment. That time, I had to go through chemotherapy 12 times. The pain was unbearable as I’d suffer severe side effects of chemotherapy. However, I fought and survived in that battle of life, but it didn’t end there. They say, ‘You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.’ It happened in my case.
Again in 2015, when I was in 12th standard, I felt severe pain on the left side of my neck. The knot looked similar, and I suspected that my cancer had returned, and after diagnosis, doctors revealed that it was the same type of tumor that I had suffered already. The truth shook my world. I couldn’t believe that I’d have to go through the same trauma again.
I was rushed to the Tata memorial hospital, Kolkata, for treatment. My father told me that ‘Don’t lose hope because when the Sun goes down, the Stars come out. Your misery will go away too. Just don’t give up. I can even take you back from God, so don’t lose your faith. You will be fine soon.’ His words made me strong and blessed me with a new hope to live.
To cure my cancer, the doctor gave me 60 radiotherapies. As I mentioned before, I was in 12th standard and didn’t want to hold back my studies, so I convinced myself by saying, ‘When cancer happens, you don’t put life on hold. You continue to live. So why are you putting your studies on hold? Continue it.’ Though it was hard to come up with academics as the trauma of cancer kept coming back to trouble me, I still managed to score a good position in CBSE boards exams.
I made it happen because everyone supported me. When positive people surround us, we only see opportunities, not obstacles. Through the phase, my family, my friends were there to hold my hand. They continuously supported me in my studies and practical. They helped me by providing study materials and notes when I went out of the station for the medication.
I was treated successfully, and the cancer was gone. Later, I got admission to Delhi University to pursue B.Com (Hons).
In 2017, I started an NGO named “City Star Club” and my friends to help other cancer patients. I did it to tell people that ‘There is no time for negative energy during cancer. You need to be around people who inspire you, who tell you to challenge life to make it better.’
Through the NGO, I want to help people overcome the trauma of cancer, which is considered the deadliest disease in our country. However, I feel that this mentality is wrong. Modern science can cure cancer if you get the proper treatment at the right time, then it won’t hurt. It entirely depends on your time of diagnosis and your fighting spirit. So please don’t give up that easily because life is worth living, especially when we are about to lose it.
In my life, what happened next is more shocking than what I’ve told you till now. During the final exams of the first year, I went to the hospital due to the extreme pain in my stomach. Unfortunately, it was the third time I was diagnosed with cancer but this time in my pancreas. I cannot express what I felt at that particular moment. For me, it was similar to fighting the same battle again and again that I was running from. It felt like cancer was chasing me.
The doctor told me that an incision could only cure 9 inches. I was operated on by the doctor again. My doctor used binoculars to prevent cancer, and I took some medicines, which helped me for two years. During the treatment, I had discontinued my studies. When I thought I would resume my everyday life, my cancer recurred.
In 2019, my pancreas again got affected by cancer as lumps were formed in my hands: same treatment, same story, same trauma. I’ve no words to describe my feelings. However, I had become mentally strong to fight the battle. I was treated, and it was gone but for the time being only. In November 2020, my lower abdomen was infected, and I had to go through homeopathy treatment to treat the abdomen cancer.
This time the doctor suggested that I go for a bone marrow transplant. Doctors said it would reduce the chances of forming cancer cells again in my body. Also, it will increase the RBCs, WBCs, and platelets in my blood. We considered his suggestion, and I agreed to go for it. Finally, on 13th April 2021, I went through a bone marrow transplant. Now, by the grace of God, I’m alright. And by His will, everything will be good in the future too.
There is a great saying ‘No one can kill the one God shelters. Even if the whole world conspires against the person, but they cannot bend a single strand of his hair.’ The same thing happened in my case. I was saved because God wanted to keep me alive. I truly feel blessed to have this life again.
That’s how I defeated Cancer six times in the last seven years, and my most effective support system during my whole journey was my parents. They have given me a new life by sacrificing a lot. Many times they have fought against society and relatives. They always treated me like a normal kid. They boosted my morale by telling me that ‘I am a fighter, not a warrior. What happens to us is only 10%, but we whirl it into 100% by reacting negatively. So always turn your obstacles into opportunities.’
During my therapy, I wrote two books. One is my life story, an autobiography, where I have written about my experiences and my parents’ sacrifices. The other book is named 27 days which tells the story of those I spent undergoing radiotherapies. My third book is based on society’s mentality and things that people tell cancer survivors. My startup Gyan ki Baate has one million+ downloads on the Play Store.
Before I conclude my story, I’d like to say, ‘Cancer is a journey, but you walk the road alone, there are many places to stop along the way and get nourishment – you have to be willing to take it. It’s possible not just to survive but to thrive and to live a healthy and wonderful life again.’
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