Exclusive| Actor Tannishtha Chatterjee on battling stage-4 cancer: I became fearless and hopeful

Actor Tannishtha Chatterjee talks about the unpredictability of such an illness and says that no one can predict or prepare for situations like these

Actor Tannishtha Chatterjee, on Sunday, revealed on Instagram that she was diagnosed with stage-4 oligometastatic cancer in January. Speaking about her health to us, Tannishtha emphasises the unpredictability of such an illness: “I feel these things don’t have any reasons. I always had a very healthy way of living and taking care of my fit self. None of us can predict or prepare. I guess when it happens you have to deal with it.”

Actor Tannishtha Chatterjee

Recalling how after a routine check-up, doctors delivered the difficult news, the 44-year-old shares, “I remember after the check-up when it was diagnosed, my doctors said, ‘This is bad, as it has spread and is in an advanced stage.’ His words didn’t sink in at first; they left me devastated.”

The news also shocked her loved ones. “My family and friends were left baffled, and it was a setback for me. Then began a journey full of questions,” she says, adding, “The last eight months have been tough, not just the treatments, but also dealing with issues like insurance, which aren’t easy to handle.”

However, just days into treatment, Tannishtha found the strength to fight back. “I have learnt so much in this journey. Life is bigger than our stresses. With a nine-year-old daughter and an ailing mother, I had to say, ‘Bring it on’. In just 15 days, I became fearless and hopeful; even chemo couldn’t break me.”