World Cancer Day 2021: Tahira Kashyap pens a moving poem

Author and film director, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, who is also a cancer survivor, took to Instagram to share a message on the occasion of World Cancer Day.  Tahira, who is married to Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana, took to social media to pen a heartfelt poem about her journey as a cancer survivor. The poem, posted as a video, inspires women to embrace themselves with all their scars.  In 2018, Tahira was diagnosed with Stage 1a breast cancer and has documented, through social media posts, her struggles with cancer and how she defeated it.  

Posting the video, she wrote: " This is something I had experienced and written about and still mean every word of it! Joining this year’s theme of I AM AND I WILL , I urge you all to take notice of this day, to spread awareness about early breast cancer detection, to remove any stigma associated with it and to celebrate life along with it’s many scars????"

Read the poem here:

"Some scars are deep, some within.
Some are seen, while some are hidden.
The thing about scars is, it reminds you of the past,
The moments of suffering that you thought would forever last.
But there's more these goddamn scars,
They're secrets in far away, just like stars.
It's the truth which you don't see with your naked eye.
Oblivious to the functioning of the world, a blatant lie.
But hear me, there's more to the scar,
It also talks about the fight, the resilience and your invincible power.
My love and respect to those who fought,
The treacherous battlefield that some crossed, while some got lost.
But the thing with the health karma is that everyone is a winner,
For it's the fight that counts, whether you're an expert or a beginner.
The fight with cancer is not just physical but also mental,
Some battles are tougher to conquer especially if they're internal.
But hear me again, we all have that fighter which has the universe's might.
The indomitable spirit that can't be crushed by any fright.

Hide not your scars, my love, show them, flaunt them, just like your bright smile, soothing to other eyes.

And when you do that time and again giving people nowhere to run and hide,
They will have to fall in love with your badge of honour, your prize.
So hear me one last time, fall in love with yourself, all with dusks, scars and cry,
That's what makes you, you.
Faulty, imperfect, blemished, but all true.
So let me hear you say on this day, this year 2021, loud and shrill,
Commit yourself to spreading awareness about early breast cancer detection,
Say it, say it with me this year's theme- I AM AND I WILL."

Watch the video here