Dutt Worries for Fans
- Bollywood legend Sanjay Dutt, 61, has appeared in over 150 films and recently shared that he has cancer.
- It's been reported he has lung cancer, but Dutt has not confirmed the exact type of cancer he is fighting.
- Sharing a cancer diagnosis is a deeply personal decision but the support you receive can be very beneficial in your fight.
Earlier this year Dutt was having difficulties breathing so he got tested for COVID-19; it was negative. He went for further testing at a hospital in Mumbai and later revealed to fans that he was diagnosed with cancer. Dutt is no stranger to the disease, losing his first wife, Richa Sharma, to brain cancer, and his mother, Nargis, to pancreatic cancer.
Read MoreManaging the emotions of others is often something those recently diagnosed feel the need to address, and it appears Dutt is no different. But he is keeping his exact type of cancer quiet; some reports say he may be battling lung cancer though the actor has not confirmed, and his wife has asked for privacy in the matter.
Dutt’s wife, Maanayata Dutt, made her request via Instagram, “…I request everyone, with my folded hands, to stop speculating the stage of his illness and let the doctors continue to do their work. We will update you all regularly with his progress."
The Fear of Worrying Others
It’s common for people to worry about how others will react to their news. Breast cancer survivor Victoria Rego told SurvivorNet about her own struggle when sharing the news of her diagnosis with her daughter, “I’m 46, and I’m an early stage triple-negative breast cancer survivor,” said Rego. “My biggest issues were telling my teenage daughter. That was probably the hardest thing because I’m a single mom, and she had just lost her idol, her great grandmother, a few months before.”
Rego went on to say that, “telling her that this was happening was just beyond my understanding of how I was going to do it. But I did it, with the help of her father.”
Sometimes having the support of a partner, like Dutt, or an ex-partner, like Rego, can be a helpful support system when sharing difficult health news.
Disclosing Your Cancer Diagnosis
Disclosing a cancer diagnosis to the people in your life can be very difficult; it’s a personal choice as to whether or not even share your news. And although it is likely your loved ones will worry for you, it’s good to remember that allowing others in could be a source of strength for you as you battle.
Lillian Kreppel, a woman who developed anal cancer because of HPV, told SurvivorNet how she first decided to share her diagnosis with her best friend.
“The first person that I told was my best friend. She had known that I had this itch. We were at the pool in the summertime,” said Kreppel, “and I was like, ‘I can’t get rid of this itch. It’s driving me crazy.’ She knew I was going to the doctor. And I said, ‘you’re never going to believe this. You remember that itch? I said, well, that itch, guess what, it’s cancer.'”
Telling Your Loved Ones You Have Cancer How Do You Break the News?
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