Narratives of Resilience: Unveiling the Human Side of Cancer Amidst the Covid-19 Era

Abstract

Health and medicine, as an instrument of interventional and therapeutic interaction, encompasses both public and popular culture. The labels ‘cancer’ and ‘cancer patient’ evoke overwhelming stress. During the course of the disease, cancer patients are required to make multiple visits to hospitals for clinical examinations, laboratory and imaging tests, and different types of medical procedures and surgical intervention as part of the diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of the treatment regime. The Covid pandemic has further exacerbated the challenges faced by the immunocompromised cancer survivors, sometimes affecting their access to treatment and care. The paper examines in detail the first person accounts furnished by cancer survivors as well as the physicians who treated them, with the intention of gauging the extent to which the pandemic impinged on the prospects of cancer patients and cancer survivors getting diagnosed, treated and continually cared for. The cancer testimonials studied herein invariably point to the fact that the very act of reflecting on the journey of their struggle, especially during the adverse times of a pandemic, and sharing their experiences with others makes them feel empowered, both against the disease and the systemic discriminations inherent in the medical establishment. The article emphasises the need for compassionate communication and open conversation to address the challenges posed by Covid-19 in the cancer community.

How to cite this article:
Anil J M, Govind R. Narratives of Resilience:
Unveiling the Human Side of Cancer Amidst
the Covid-19 Era. Chettinad Health City Med J.
2025;14(2):68-77.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202526