Seema Patil, wife of Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath, recently spoke openly about her struggle with breast cancer on a podcast. He shared his experiences, from the diagnosis of cancer to the support of his family during this difficult period. 43-year-old Seema was diagnosed with cancer in November 2021. She told that the blog post written about cancer was actually written by her husband.

In 2021, during the investigation, Seema came to know that she was on stage-2 of breast cancer, which was not more than two years old. In her blog she wrote that I have been getting full body health checkups done regularly for many years. This time a small lump was seen in my right breast in the mammogram. Even though I had no symptoms, I decided to visit an oncologist who performed a biopsy, followed by a PET scan which confirmed that the lump was cancerous and confined to the breast. After this she got mastectomy of her right breast done.

What are the risk factors of breast cancer?
Risk factors for breast cancer include age, family history, genetics and hormonal factors. Its symptoms may include lumps or thickening in the breast, change in the size or shape of the breast, nipple discharge or skin changes. Regular checkups and self-examination are very important for successful treatment. Treatment options vary depending on the stage and type of cancer, but may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy.

Life is too short: Seema
In the podcast, Seema said that I have been a part of Zerodha for a long time, but then I was just walking like this. This disease made me realize that life is very short. I have to do something I'm passionate about. I need to find something I really like.

Talk about chemotherapy
Seema told in the podcast that chemotherapy is really very difficult. After undergoing chemotherapy for the first time, my condition worsened. I couldn't understand what was happening. I thought it would be better to die than this, but the second time, I thought that instead of lying on the sofa, I should try to walk a little, maybe it would bring some change - and indeed it did. When my health started deteriorating after the second chemotherapy, I went for a walk and I recovered quickly.

Seema became healthy in 10 months
A few months after Seema was diagnosed with the disease, Nithiin had informed about her recovery on Instagram. He had written that after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Seema has completely recovered in just 10 months after mastectomy, chemo and radiation. This has happened because of his healthy lifestyle before and after his illness. He further wrote that investment is not only in stocks and mutual funds, but taking care of your health is also an investment.

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