World No-Tobacco Day: Cancer victims in Odisha recall how tobacco ruined their lives

Tobacco use has a major impact on health, killing one person every four seconds globally. Tobacco can cause 25 types of diseases and about 40 types of cancer including mouth cancer, throat cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer and brain tumour.

On World No Tobacco Day, OTV in a bid to spread awareness speaks to a few victims who lost everything due to tobacco addiction.

Shakeel Madani from Jeypore lives with his elderly mother, wife and two daughters. The family survives with whatever he earns from his tyre shop. However, their happy life turned into a nightmare after Shakeel who is the only breadwinner of the family was diagnosed with cancer.

A tobacco addict, Shakeel had to sell everything including his 60-acre ancestral land for his treatment. After running from one hospital to another and battling cancer for years, Shakeel had to spend a whopping Rs 45 lakh for his treatment. Even though he is cured now, it has become extremely difficult for him to restart his life from scratch now. 

“I was a tobacco addict. I would eat 50-60 packets of tobacco a day. Soon, I was diagnosed with cancer. Only I know the plight I and my family went through during our bad phase. So, I request everyone to quit tobacco and not ruin their lives like me,” said Shakeel.

Similar is the plight of Mitarani Panda and his family. The widow has been left to fend for herself after her husband died of cancer leaving behind two sons. A tobacco addict, Mitarani’s husband Tarini Panda was affected by cancer. 

The family spent lakhs of rupees for his treatment in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, but to no avail. He finally breathed his last leaving his family including two little kids in a state of misery. With no breadwinner for the family, Mitarani struggles day and night to give her two kids the best of life.

“My two boys were too young when their father passed away. From Vizag to Delhi, we took him to several places for treatment. Despite everything, he passed away leaving us to fend for ourselves. So, my message to everyone is abstain from such bad habits otherwise your family will face the consequences. Think about your family,” Mitarani said.

Similarly, Sheikh Shahid from Balasore’s Soro was a top-class cricket player and had a bright future ahead. However, his addiction to tobacco ruined his dream of playing cricket at the national level. He was diagnosed with cancer and is now running from one hospital to another for treatment.

“My one bad habit of eating ‘gutkha’ ruined my whole life. My aim of playing in the Ranji Trophy and for India was ruined after I was affected by cancer. With folded hands, I appeal to all not to get into all these bad habits, otherwise, no one can save you from death,” Shahid said.

Speaking to OTV, cancer specialist, Dr Sanjeev Mishra said, “Usually people say, eating ‘paan’ is not equal to eating ‘gutkha’. However, the reality is poison is always a poison, whether it is in the form of ‘paan’, or cigarette smoking or chewing tobacco.”