Fiction & Nonfiction

Her Battle

Her Battle

This is the true story of my sister-in-law, Doctor Krishna Kumari, a gynecologist, who had breast cancer and fought it like a warring soldier.


Fighting impossible battles was not new to her.


She won the battle of marrying my brother, who was not of her community. She succeeded in overcoming the vehement opposition with strong determination.


She came over the lack of financial independence by working in Algeria to earn money that helped her in establishing a thriving clinic in her hometown with her husband.

Dr. Krishna Kumari built up a reputation for being an able and helpful gynecologist during her forties. So did my brother, a general physician.


It was a little after the engagement of her daughter Deepti that Krishna Kumari at age fifty, noticed the lump in her right breast.


After the initial shock, the family recovered and proceeded to take necessary steps to prevent the cancer spreading to other parts of her body.


After all the clinical tests being done, she was diagnosed with a particularly fast spreading type of breast cancer known as Triple Negative Breast Cancer or TNBC.


She went through all the three cancer preventive measures, namely.

1.          Chemotherapy.
2.          Surgery to remove the tumor.
3.          Radiation therapy involving the use beams of radiation to destroy cancer cells, using various techniques to prevent damage to healthy surrounding tissue.


As days passed, she went through chemotherapy several times. Each time was extremely weakening and drained her of energy. She just lay on the bed limp and haggard.


After a couple of months, the doctors announced that the cancerous cells stopped spreading. We were extremely happy thinking we saw the end of this mortal disease she was suffering from.


She started attending to her clinical duties and looked after her patients soon after being announced fit. We were glad that she returned in full strength, clearly winning the battle with the disease.


A month later, Krishna Kumari wanted to have a short vacation after her recovery.


I clearly remember the day on which she and her husband were visiting a famous river festival. She was happy to be making this journey after a long spell of recovery.


Both were about board the train.


She suddenly collapsed on the platform in her husband’s arms. He rushed her back to the hospital.


On arrival at the hospital, she was declared dead due to a massive heart-attack.


WHY did it happen despite her recovery? We wracked our brains over this question in a state of bewilderment.

The doctors analyzed it thus.


“Some commonly used breast cancer drugs can sometimes cause weakening of the heart muscle. Radiation, particularly to an area of the body that includes the heart, can also increase the risk of cardiomyopathy and heart attack.”


Krishna Kumari had breast cancer of the worst type, fought it bravely, turned corner and returned to normalcy.


Yet, she was a victim of all those strong medicines, the attendant negative agents that weakened her heart and finally claimed her life.


I would still think that she triumphed in defeating the cancer. She proved that breast cancer could be won. Yet, the odds were too many heaped against a weak heart.



May her soul rest in peace.




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Word Count: 535

Written for Breast Cancer Awareness-Contest October 2023

Host: GeminiGem🐾