United by Unique: A Pediatric Oncologist’s Journey on World Cancer Day

WorldCancerDay #UnitedByUnique

Battles Beyond the Playground

Some battles are not fought on playgrounds.

They are fought in hospital rooms, chemotherapy bays, procedure rooms…by children who should be worrying about homework, birthday parties, and growing up.

As a #pediatriconcologist, I have learned that treating cancer in children is not just about protocols and medicines.

It is about holding childhood together while everything else tries to tear it apart.

What Cancer Steals

• When they are little, cancer steals their toys, their hair, their innocence.
• When they are adolescents, it steals milestones — school trips, friendships, dreams of fitting in.

They watch their peers move ahead, while they learn words no child should ever know: relapse, transplant, scans, survival.

And Yet… They Fight

With courage that humbles you.

With smiles that break your heart and heal it at the same time.

Stories of Resilience

I often go home carrying their stories:

• The child who ran a race barefoot after months of treatment, and proud mother sending me the message and pic of the child beaming with happiness.
• The quiet chess player who learned patience before most adults ever do.
• The teenager who stood taller than cancer and said, “I’m ready for the future.” And share his story “A Man’s story “ in words which makes you numb and fill your heart with happiness and pride.

One note on my wall reads:
“Thank you very much for the care and support that I received from you and all the treating staff. I feel blessed to have found such a skilled and caring team.”

Another card simply says:
“Hey Doc… you rock.”

These words are not awards.
They are responsibility.

United by Unique

On this #World Cancer Day (February 4th), led by the UICC, the theme “United by Unique” reminds us of something we pediatric oncologists live every day:

• Every child’s cancer journey is different.
• Every survivor’s story deserves personalized, compassionate, equitable care.
• And every child deserves a future beyond cancer.

A Witness to Courage

Today, I stand not just as a doctor —

but as a witness to resilience, a believer in second chances,

and a lifelong student of courage taught by children.

To my patients: you are not defined by cancer — you are defined by how bravely you lived through it.

To my colleagues and caregivers: it truly takes a village.

To the world: childhood cancer needs awareness, action, and urgency — not tomorrow, but now.

Because when a child survives cancer, world doesn’t just save a life — it saves a future.

– Dr Shweta Bansal

Pediatrician | Hemato-Oncologist | BMT Physician

Mumbai

Dr. Shweta Bansal is a Pediatrician, Hemato-Oncologist, and BMT Physician in Mumbai. She is a leading expert in the field of pediatric oncology and has helped countless children with cancer and blood disorders.

Know More about Dr Shweta Bansal

Caring for children, saving lives, and building a brighter future — one child at a time.