Mumbai, August 11 — Celebrity chef and ‘MasterChef India’ Season 1 winner Pankaj Bhadouria has opened up about the emotional impact of chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
The chef said that although she knew it was coming, actually seeing her hair fall out has been “traumatic”.
Sharing a picture of herself combing her hair and looking at the strands that have fallen out, Pankaj wrote an emotional note about dealing with the most difficult parts of her ongoing cancer treatment.
She wrote, “You know it. You are prepared for it. But when it hits you, it hits hard.
I was always prepared for hair loss in the 3rd week of chemotherapy. But when it started happening, it stopped my breath. I was so proud of my thick strong hair and seeing them go like this is turning out to be traumatic. I know I will get them back, even better....but this is where it is hurting the most. #chemotherapy #cancer #pankajbhadouria #hairfall #trauma.”
For the uninitiated, Pankaj had previously prepared herself for the possibility of losing her hair during chemotherapy.
Before beginning the treatment, she had also opted to cut her long tresses short. In a social media update ahead of chemotherapy, she had written a note through a post that read, “I begin with my chemotherapy. Who knows what chemotherapy might throw my way. Hair loss or not, Let me enjoy what I have, when I have, in the way I want to have.”
The chef revealed about her cancer diagnosis to public in May this year. On May 28, she shared a picture from her hospital bed and revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Alongside the picture, she wrote, “I have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Need your prayers and support”.
She had also shared a video from the hospital showing her undergoing medical tests, with the text, “Going for tests and more tests…..not a happy place to be.”
A day later, on May 29, Pankaj revealed that she was heading for surgery. “Thank you so much for all the love and support that you have showered on me. Today I am going for surgery and I know I will bounce back. So, once again keep me in your prayers,” she said.
Following the surgery, Pankaj shared another health update in June, revealing that detailed post-surgery biopsy reports had changed the course of her treatment.
She said an invasive 2mm HER2-positive component had been detected, following which doctors advised 12 chemotherapy sessions and one year of targeted therapy.
Pankaj had admitted that while she was “a little scared” of the word chemotherapy but said she would approach the treatment one day at a time.