Sonali Bendre on Battling Cancer: "From 'Why Me?' to 'Why Not Me?'

Bollywood veteran actress Sonali Bendre was on Hiatus due to her cancer treatment but now she has made comeback with 'Broken News Season 2'. She recently did podcast where she opened up about the mental state when she knew she had a cancer and how she dealt with it. Actress told Humans of Bombay that when she received the news of having cancer the first thought was why me?

Sonali Said, When I found out I had cancer, my initial reaction was, 'Why me?' I would wake up feeling like it was all a bad dream; I couldn't believe this was happening to me. That's when I decided to change my mindset. Instead of asking 'why me?' I began to ask, 'Why not me?' Sonali explained, "I began to appreciate that this wasn't happening to my sister or my son. I realized I had the strength to face this, access to top hospitals, and a support system to guide me. Shifting to 'why not me?' helped me begin the healing journey."  

Sonali shared that she visited the same hospital after four years, "So much changed but so much remained same. Sitting in the familiar chair with a view of the same spot brought back memories from a time of fear to a time of hope. Seeing new patients going through treatment, she reflected on her own journey. She recognized the chemotherapy suite, the waiting room, and although the faces were different, the experience felt familiar. In her social media post, the actress conveyed a message of hope to the patients, sharing that she was once in their shoes but now stood on the other side as a symbol of hope. The day was filled with mixed emotions, described as bittersweet. Stepping outside, she looked at her son, felt the warmth of the sun on her face, and expressed gratitude to the universe for everything.

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Sonali Was Diagnosed with Stage Four Cancer 

Sonali was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer in 2018. She received treatment at a hospital in New York City and went into remission in 2021. After recovering, she has been actively promoting cancer awareness and helping other survivors.