Fortis Hospital Noida

From Cancer to Cure: My journey to healing, the story of my triumph over Triple-Negative Breast Cancer is summarized below in 5 Cs.

1. Compassion

2. Care

3. Cutting-Edge Treatment

4. Confidence

5. Cure

As I reflect on my journey battling triple-negative breast cancer, my heart overflows with gratitude for the remarkable care provided by Dr. Rajat Bajaj and his extraordinary team of doctors and nurses at the International Oncology Cancer Institute at Fortis Hospital, Noida.

As a patient who recently underwent treatment for triple-negative breast cancer, facing a diagnosis of such an invasive cancer was daunting, but Dr. Rajat's expertise and innovative treatment approach instilled confidence and hope from the very beginning.

Facing a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer was an overwhelming experience, to say the least from the moment I figured out something was wrong when all of a sudden one fine morning, I experienced a horrible shooting pain in my right breast, this was just before Christmas, 2022. Upon self-examination which I regularly did before, it was different this time, I felt a lump and it was painful. I let the Christmas holidays go by and thought to myself, it could be something else, though deep in my heart I feared it is cancer. I discussed this with my husband, and we decided to meet our Gynecologist Dr. Nisha at Cloud9 Hospital in Noida on 04-Jan-2023. After mammography and ultrasound, it was clear to her that it was something ‘concerning’, and she recommended that I meet an oncologist ASAP. She referred me to Dr. Jalaj Bakshi (Oncological Surgeon) and Dr. Rajat Bajaj (Medical Oncologist) in Fortis Noida.

The same day we booked an appointment with Dr. Bakshi, and he recommended a Biopsy, a PET CT Scan, and some Blood Tests. I got them done on the spot, and after a few days, the result came back as TNBC Stage 2. (T1 N1 M0).

When you hear the word CANCER – you think your world has come to an END!

My heart was filled with fear and despair and my mind was full of questions. With the result papers in my hand and feeling lost, me and my husband met Dr. Rajat Bajaj for the first time on 11-Jan-2023. The moment I walked through the doors of Fortis Noida and entered Dr. Bajaj’s cabin at the International Oncology Cancer Institute, all my fears were slowly and steadily overcome with a blanket of compassion, assurance, and guidance by Dr. Bajaj. The line of treatment was explained to me and my husband in detail. All the questions that we had were patiently heard and answered. His calm demeanor, thorough explanations, and genuine concern for my well-being put me at ease during what was undoubtedly one of the most challenging times of my life. This made me confident, and I developed a trust that I was in good hands.

His expertise *** ********* in the field of Oncology were evident in every aspect of how he calmly explained to me that Cancer diagnosis is NOT THE END. His words were a true beacon of hope that cancer treatment has evolved over the years that now various options are available to patients, and that I still can have a ‘normal’ life ahead, with an aim to get into remission.

What was very clear to me at that moment was that it would be Dr. Bajaj and Dr. Bakshi who would be my beacon of light during my darkest moment, and they would be the ones who would lead and guide me through this journey of cancer treatment, which was explained to me that would take over a year.

After leaving Fortis on 11-Jan-2023, I felt confident and reassured that I had a good chance to beat this ‘monster’ under their care. What is very important to state here is that Dr. Rajat had outlined a comprehensive treatment plan that integrated traditional Chemotherapy with the groundbreaking addition of Immunotherapy. This new line of treatment offered a ray of hope in the often ‘presumed’ dismal landscape of triple-negative breast cancer management.

My first Chemo session started on 13-Jan-2023 and with each session, I could feel the collective strength of the medical team rallying behind me, infusing me with courage and resilience. The journey of beating Cancer was not smooth all the time and had its challenges. During these regular Chemo and Immuno-Therapy sessions, I had minimal side effects except for the usual ones which Dr. Rajat forewarned me of diligently that I would vomit, feel weak, and would lose my hair. There was a challenging moment too when I was admitted to the hospital for about a week as my platelet count had reached dangerously low levels. But Dr. Bajaj and his team stood by my side every step of the way and guided me out of this situation too addressing each concern with patience, compassion, and understanding.

Throughout the treatment journey, the integration of immunotherapy alongside chemotherapy was seamlessly executed, with careful monitoring and augmenting the doses as per my progress.

The 6-month chemo and immune sessions started on 13-Jan-2023 and I successfully finished the course on 15-Jun-2023. I had 8 cycle of Chemo sessions along with every three week Keytruda (Immunotherapy) sessions. Next, I had my PET CT Scan on 30-Mar-2023 with the most fantastic result that there were no cancer cells visible in my body and I had achieved CCR (Clinical Complete Response).

So, looking back today I can say that Chemotherapy which most cancer patients fear the most is very doable.

On 11-July-2023 I underwent a Mastectomy surgery which was conducted by Dr. Bakshi. Post Surgery – when my biopsy result came back, I was in tears (of joy) to hear that I had achieved PCR (Pathological Complete Response), which meant, no cancer cells were found in my body.

This result was nothing short of a ‘miracle’. The combination of Chemotherapy, care, and compassion not only halted the progression of cancer but also instilled a sense of confidence in my healing process that extended far beyond the physical realm. Today, I stand before you as living proof of the power of compassion and cutting-edge medicine to defy cancer.

After this, as per the guidance of Dr. Bajaj, I underwent 15 Radiation therapy sessions to complete the Cancer treatment under the supervision of Dr. Tripti who was my cheerleader – cheering me after each session and kept my morale always high.

Dr. Rajat Bajaj, Dr. Jalaj Bakshi, and Dr. Tripti's ability to not only treat the physical aspects of my illness but also to provide emotional support and encouragement throughout this journey was truly remarkable. Their words of wisdom, their empathy, and their willingness to listen to my concerns made all the difference in my healing process. I always felt heard, respected, and valued as a patient under their care.

Thanks to Dr. Bajaj's expertise and guidance, my following his instructions diligently, and our frank discussions with each other on articles or journals that I read on Cancer treatment including which supplements one should take along with a specific diet plan helped me navigate my Cancer treatment journey successfully and now I can proudly say that I am Cancer-free (in remission) and able to live my life to the fullest. I feel incredibly fortunate to have him as my doctor whose innovative approach helped me to combat even the most dangerous forms of cancer.

I am now no longer on any medication, except a few vitamins. I diligently come to Fortis as instructed Dr. Bajaj for a 3-monthly checkup, with my latest blood reports, PET CT Scan, and he reviews the progress in my case.

I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Rajat Bajaj and his team to anyone facing a similar diagnosis. Their dedication to pushing the boundaries of cancer treatment and their unwavering commitment to patient care makes them true heroes in the fight against breast cancer.

Thank you, Dr. Rajat Bajaj, Dr. Jalaj Bakshi, and Dr. Tripti and their team of doctors, nurses, and technicians for giving me a second chance at life.

With heartfelt gratitude and warmest regards,

Wilma Claudia Samuel

I am very grateful to Sir Ashutosh Kumar Sinha for taking up my baby Girl’s case and giving us a new ray of Hope that we as a young parents, nearly lost all the hope, when all the existing ways and means of treatment for our baby child, gave no desired result and than Sir Ashutosh came as a saviour to our baby child and at the time of writing this review, now our child is showing positive signs & treatment is going on, as per Sir Ashutosh’s direction and it is very rightful in saying that Sir Ashutosh has extensive experience in managing all types of paediatric emergencies and skilful in all aspects of intensive care.

My Baby Girl was born Prematurely in 7 months 3 days due to IUGR (Intrauterine growth restriction) and because of this early delivery, she has been till date, suffering from a chronic lung disease called BPD (Bronchopulmonary dysplasia) and this means my baby is unable to breathe air by herself due to lack of Lung’s formation & Maturity.

On Today’s date of review ie 26 Dec 2022, Monday, My baby Girl Child is 3 months 18 days old and still my child needs constant oxygen supply to be given externally & the sad part is that, there is no cure/medicine for BPD and this has to be healed by the baby herself naturally. Presently my child is Intubated and is on ventilatory support due to the seriousness of this disease & ever since my child is unable to come out of Ventilatory support & then my present consultant doctor said only a miracle can happen & we need to consult a Paediatric Pulmonologist urgently and sadly, there was no Paediatric Pulmonologist in my state Manipur and overall it is very hard to find a pulmonologist in India as it’s a specialisation & available only in only select cities and select super speciality hospitals. As luck would have it, after numerous desperate effort, I finally contacted Sir Ashutosh Kumar Sinha with the hope that Sir’s rich experience & the specialisation will give us a positive result and indeed the must needed positive result came. Sir Ashutosh happily accepted my request & prayer for Tele-Consultation and now guides my consultant doctor in better managing the case. In Today’s modern day of advancement & technological reach, it should be easy to consult specialise doctors, save lives in the much needed hour but only a few doctors come to the rescue of ordinary people like me, you and do justice to their own profession and Sir Ashutosh Kumar Sinha is one of those very few doctors & I am very Lucky to have Sir Ashutosh.

Thank you Sir. Your timely intervention saved my child and hence I called Sir, my child saviour and hence I am indebted to Sir.

i had been suffering an unexpected perianal abscess, which was not properly diagnosed by my gynaecologist, however she suggested a surgeon and thats how i got lucky i think to met Dr. Shilpa Varma. i found her on practo only. and i was determined to consult her only because of the huge number of good recommendations she already had. and yes, all of them were true. my personal experience with her is an absolute comfort and satisfaction to heart and even my parents. she was so clear in every explanation, was available all the time whenever i needed her or my parents. she gave the level of confidence that i was all positive just when i consulted her. i will recommend her to each and everyone who is going through such disease. during the surgery too she was so polite and reconfirming that i was all comfortable and felt in good hands. PS- it was the first time i ever went under a knife, be is a small one, but still the fear persisted. and it all washed away with her. great doctor, patient one, available when u need her. all in all what u want in your surgeon she is that.

My father contracted covid during the first wave and was in the hospital for 8 days. He has been a diabetic for many years and CKD V patient. His sugar, though, largely was in check for the last few years, earlier with Insulin and let just on medicines. After Covid his sugar went completely out of range, which significant variations during the day. Further, the insulin prescribed to him didn't suit him and unfortunately he had two hypoglycemic attacks in two days. That's when we were referred to Dr. Biswas, who spent time patiently with me and Dad undertaking his history, determining the right treatment and counseling him after the trauma he went through. He monitored my father's progress carefully, several times messaging me on his own to check how my father was doing, he was even available late at night, forcing me to ask him one day, whether he slept at all at night 🙂. He still continues to check on Dads progress, though with his kind advise and God's grace Dad's sugar is stable and in the range. I would highly recommend Dr. Biswas for not only his expertise but also his care and empathy for the patients. Thank you Dr. Biswas.