Breast cancer survivor finds new calling as a well-being coach in India – even in the darkest days, there is always a light, she says

Cancer, the disease and the word, is commonly associated with malignancy and used to describe a destructive condition that is hard to control. But Shreshta Mittal, a 34-year-cancer survivor, has a different take. She describes cancer as an experience she is grateful for, a blessing that led her to her life’s calling. When first diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in mid-2019, Mittal, of Mumbai in India, felt anything but grateful, though. She inadvertently discovered a small lump in her left breast. “I thought the lump was a harmless cyst and ignored it.” Three months later, when the lump felt bigger and harder, Mittal went to the hospital, her husband at her side. A mammogram revealed a malignant tumour. “I was in shock. My first thoughts were: How is this possible? I am too young to get cancer. How much time do I have left? How expensive will the treatment be? How will my son grow up without a mother?” says Mittal, whose son was two years old at the time. After the initial shock, Mittal decided that she would be positive, live in the present and not spend time worrying about things outside her control. She insisted that her family celebrate her husband’s birthday even while they waited for the biopsy results. Once the results confirmed the diagnosis, she broke the news to her parents and in-laws. “I told them that I needed them to be cheerful and strong,” says Mittal, whose elderly in-laws live with her. “They understood … and they have been my staunchest allies in my fight with cancer.” Safety in numbers: how breast cancer survivor’s support network made a difference Mittal underwent surgery to remove a lump of breast tissue and lymph nodes from her left armpit. Afterwards, she could barely move her left arm nor lift anything heavy. “I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to lift my son,” she says. Chemotherapy, radiation and targeted therapy followed – treatment that was physically and emotionally draining. She suffered from fatigue, headaches, disturbed sleep, blood clots in the nose, hot flushes and numbness in the fingers. When she started losing her hair two weeks after her first chemotherapy session, she had her head shaved. “When I came home from the hairdresser and removed my scarf, my son kept staring at me as if wondering who I really was,” says Mittal. Yoga, wigs and qigong: charity helps Hong Kong cancer sufferers “Whenever I looked in the mirror, I would gasp in shock. Over time I came to love my new look. My husband loved it too and kept running his hand on my head. And I didn’t have to worry about bad hair days any more.” Mittal started writing a blog about her experience with cancer, titled, ‘My Cancer Diaries’. She found writing to be therapeutic. “Sharing my struggles and expressing my thoughts allowed me to release my feelings,” she says, adding she felt motivated to share her story to help others in their cancer struggles. A friend introduced Mittal to Nichiren Buddhism and the practice of chanting Nam myoho renge kyo. “Chanting every day made me focus on the present. Buddhism taught me impermanence and I came to believe that no matter how hard it seemed, this too would pass. It helped me stay calm,” says Mittal. A Hong Kong woman learned to meditate her cancer stress away She also changed her diet, eliminating deep-fried foods, refined flours, sugars and processed food. A vegetarian, she turned vegan for six months. A long-time runner, she slowly got back to exercising by going for a brisk walk or jog every morning and evening, followed by a gentle yoga session. A few months later, Mittal ran a 5km (3.1 mile) race for breast cancer awareness, finishing in 37 minutes. “Giving myself running challenges and accomplishing them revived my confidence and made me feel good about myself,” says Mittal. In March 2020, Covid-19 hit India. “Because of the treatment, my immunity was already low. I was worried about my two-year-old son and my elderly in-laws. My radiation treatment got postponed by a few days,” says Mittal, who returned to her work as a human resources professional at a multinational company around the same time. Mittal incorporated pranayama (breathwork) and meditation into her daily routine. “I was averse to practising meditation because of the patience it demands. I challenged myself to give it a try. Meditation had a healing effect on my mind and body. When negative thoughts arose, especially during Covid, I learned to observe them and not act on them.” Mittal says that receiving support from her family and community was critical to her recovery. “My husband and my in-laws were my biggest source of strength. My friends and colleagues kept checking in on me, especially during the lockdown. A simple text message asking how I was doing would brighten my day,” shares Mittal. In late 2019, while searching for complementary therapies to heal cancer, Mittal came across a cancer healing group called Cancer Awakens and signed up for a cancer coaching programme it runs called “Thriver”. Through online coaching sessions with a stage 4 breast cancer thriver over 16 weeks, Mittal was able to process her fears and concerns safely. Mittal believes that her unexpressed and unresolved feelings had a role to play in the manifestation of her cancer. “Illness is an expression of stress that shows up in different forms, physical, mental and emotional. I was carrying a lot of emotional baggage,” she says. “The coaching programme enabled me to confront my deepest fears. Once I became aware of, acknowledged and worked through these issues, my cancer healed. While medication ‘treated’ the cancer, my actions to address my repressed emotions ‘healed’ me from within,” says Mittal. Inside Hong Kong’s mysterious world of out-of-body experiences This process made Mittal realise her life’s calling, to be a coach. Mittal trained to be a leadership and well-being coach and quit her job in early 2021. She is also a motivational speaker and is writing a book on her cancer experience. An entry from Mittal’s blog reads: “Cancer taught me to ‘reveal and heal’. Keeping our feelings bottled up, slowly starts to eat at our well-being and happiness and compromises our immunity. Cancer made me question my beliefs and focus my energy on what I could influence and leave the rest to the universe. “Cancer taught me that there is always a light, even in the darkest days, if we are only willing to search.” Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.