Cancer does not affect only the person diagnosed. It can change the lives of entire families, bringing emotional, financial and practical challenges along with the treatment journey.

In this episode, host Anuja Jaiswal, senior assistant editor with TOI, speaks to Dr Pragya Shukla, head of clinical oncology at Delhi State Cancer Institute, cancer survivor Kamaljeet Bisla, health policy expert Urvashi Prasad, and health insurance expert Abhijit Ghosh about what families need to know when cancer enters their lives.

Dr Shukla explains why cancer should no longer automatically be viewed as a death sentence. With advances in oncology, the focus today is not only on curing cancer but, where a cure is not possible, on controlling the disease and helping patients live with it as a chronic condition. She also highlights the importance of making effective treatments accessible and affordable, particularly for poorer patients.

Bisla shares her deeply personal journey with cervical cancer, from the shock of diagnosis when her children were young to becoming a cancer survivor two decades later. Her experience offers an important message about early detection, treatment and hope.

The conversation also looks beyond medicines. Prasad discusses the gaps in cancer screening and the importance of early and accurate diagnosis, while Ghosh explains why families need to look beyond the sum insured when choosing health insurance, including room-rent restrictions, cancer-specific sub-limits, coverage for newer treatments and restoration benefits.

The episode also explores the often-overlooked needs of caregivers, including emotional support, counselling and financial protection. A conversation about cancer, but also about early detection, better support, survivorship and the possibility of life beyond a diagnosis.

Chapters

00:00 – Cancer affects the whole family

01:15 – What does the 92% cancer figure mean?

01:53 – The financial and emotional burden of cancer

03:02 – Can we approach cancer with hope?

03:40 – Can cancer become a chronic disease?

06:28 – A survivor remembers her cancer diagnosis

10:07 – Why early and accurate diagnosis matters

12:12 – What your cancer insurance may not cover

17:15 – Supporting patients and caregivers

18:50 – Why cancer screening must become routine

20:18 – Why people fear cancer screening

21:19 – Caregivers need support too

24:21 – Cancer is not a death sentence

24:50 – Life 20 years after cancer