MasterChef India winner Pankaj Bhadouria urges women to get regular health check-ups: ‘Cancer tested my body’

MasterChef India season 1 winner Pankaj Bhadouria had revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

Pankaj Bhadouria, chef and winner of MasterChef India season 1, had shared an Instagram post on her diagnosis of breast cancer earlier this year in May. She underwent surgery and was advised chemotherapy and targeted therapy. In a new post on the platform, she has now urged every woman to go for regular health check-ups.

What Pankaj shared

In the new post, Pankaj shared a new picture of herself where she appeared smiling in a black outfit with her short hair tied back. The words which were written on the picture read: "Cancer tested my body, but it couldn’t break my spirit. Now, I live with purpose."

In the caption, she said, "Cancer became a chapter in my story—but it will never be the whole story.

This journey tested my body, strengthened my spirit and gave me a renewed sense of purpose. As I continue to heal, I choose to live each day with greater gratitude, courage and joy.

To every woman reading this: please don’t postpone your regular health check-ups. Early detection can change everything. 💗

Here’s to healing, hope and living with purpose."

On May 28, she had posted an image from a hospital bed and shared, “I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Need your prayers and support.” She also shared a video to share a message for breast cancer awareness. She started, “Hello everybody, I personally wanted to thank all of you. You have given me so much love and support. People have been reaching out to me from all over. I am so grateful to all of you. Because of your prayers, I am on a road to recovery now. With God’s grace, my surgery went very well."

"I was very fortunate that my cancer was detected at a very early stage. That is why I could recover. That is why my surgery went so well. It happened because I did one routine, preventive health checkup. I would like to say that if you are 40 or if your mother and sister are 40 plus, then please make them take a test. It is a small test and it is a self examination which can be easily found on YouTube. My doctors tell me that in India, one out of every 20 women is susceptible to breast cancer. I was fortunate ki bohot jaldi pata chal gaya… bohot logon ka nahi pata chal pata hain (I was fortunate to know it so early, many do not get to know). So please take care of yourself. Be aware of yourself. We all think that it won’t happen to us, but it can happen to anyone," she said.

Breast cancer detection and treatment

Breast cancer remains a primary health concern for women internationally. In a 2018 interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Tushar Jadhav, consultant of surgical oncology at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, at the time, shared that the statistics are a stark reminder of the disease's prevalence.

“Breast cancer accounts for 25 percent of all female cancers diagnosed worldwide. It is the most common cause of cancer death among women, across the globe,” Dr Jadhav noted. While the diagnosis can be daunting, medical experts highlight that heredity is not the only factor.

Early detection is the most powerful tool in a patient's arsenal. Experts urge women to be vigilant about physical changes. Dr Sandeep Bipte, consultant breast onco-surgeon at Fortis SL Raheja Hospital, at the time, highlighted the specific red flags in the same interview.

“A lump in the breast or armpit, nipple retraction (especially on one side and recent onset), blood-stained nipple discharge, change in size of the breast, and sometimes redness on the breast like orange peels, are advanced signs of breast cancer,” Dr Bipte warned. Other subtle indicators can include a persistent feeling of heaviness in the breast or unexplained, sudden weight loss.