‘Together in Fight, Together in Life’ call raised CaSoM brings tales of cancer survivors

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 4 : Cancer Survivors of Manipur (CaSoM) observed World Cancer Day today at Meitei Leikol, Takyel Khongbal Maning Leikai, under the vision "Together in Fight, Together in Life."
As part of the observance, ATIJIVIT Award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000, was presented to one Thonkamlakliu Changumpuinamai, a cancer survivor of 35 years.
The award, instituted in the name of Khomdram Ongbi Thangjam Ningol Ibempishak Leima, honours the courage, resilience, and inspiring spirit of cancer survivors, serving as a powerful symbol of victory over cancer.
During the event, CSM president Sagolsem Sangeeta shared her personal experience of facing severe challenges after being diagnosed with cancer, especially due to the lack of support.
She explained that this hardship led to the formation of CaSoM, an organisation dedicated to supporting cancer patients and their families, helping them come together to provide mutual assistance and encouragement.
She also emphasised that the programme was held to uphold the tradition of supporting cancer patients.
"Today, we are not gathering as victims, but as cancer survivors," she remarked.
Stating that the number of cancer patients in Manipur has been rising rapidly, she added that the use of tobacco products significantly increases the risk of various cancers according to cancer registry data.
The first step in preventing cancer is raising awareness, Sangeeta said and added that many people are hesitant to undergo cancer diagnosis due to fear and a lack of awareness.
People will talk about cancer openly in Manipur one day, she said, expressing hope that stigma and fear surrounding the disease will eventually be overcome, leading to greater awareness and support for those affected.
She also called on the Government to formulate a welfare programme specifically for cancer survivors. The vision of CaSoM is to save lives through early detection  and foster a sense of unity among cancer survivors, Sangeeta added.
Saying that cancer is not caused by immoral behaviour, she urged all the cancer survivors not to conceal their condition or let the disease define them
She also expressed her desire for people to stop stigmatizing those affected by the disease and called on all survivors to stand together in solidarity and support one another.
CaSoM secretary Rita Khomdram, on the other hand, stated that early detection, rather than concealing the disease, is the key to defeating cancer.
She mentioned that cancer cases are expected to increase by around 70 percent by 2050 according to World Health Organisation (WHO), emphasising that raising awareness about cancer is crucial in addressing this growing challenge.