My mother was first diagnosed with breast cancer, stage 2 in 2017, just few days before I appeared for my first UPSC CSE interview. I remember she coming to Delhi and being with me as a support system for my UPSC journey. I couldn’t have managed clearing exam without her. Now when I think of it, she was living with the disease since then. Immediately after the interview, I rushed back home. Her treatment was being done under the able hands of Mr Pathak, in Nagpur. We would travel every week to Nagpur for her follow ups, her chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions. The whole process lasted more than 3 months. Considering we lived in the remotest corner of our district, it would take us more than 4 hrs of one way journey to Nagpur. Driving our way through potholed roads. She was (and still is )so brave and positive during the entire period, that it still amuses me as to how she breaks stereotypes so easily. Since then we regularly carry out her check ups and any signs of relapse. There ...