You have to win this battle - Cricketer & cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh's heartfelt message to cancer patients

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, international cricketing icon and cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh urged cancer patients not to give up and to stay motivated.

He said, "Having experienced cancer myself, I know how painful this journey is. No matter how difficult it gets, don't give up. I kept myself motivated all through fighting this deadly disease. Look forward to the beautiful life that is waiting for you on the other side, so you HAVE TO win this battle."

Yuvraj Singh, who was the Player of the Tournament for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, was diagnosed with Seminoma Lung Cancer shortly after he led India to a historic win in the series. After undergoing three intensive chemotherapy sessions in the US, he returned to India and once again donned the Indian jersey before retiring from international cricket in 2017.

Recalling the day when she got to know about her son's illness, Yuvraj's mother Mrs Shabnam Singh said, "I was on my way to the Gurudwara to pray for my son before getting his biopsy report when I got a call confirming that it was cancer. I went to the Gurudwara almost in a trance and sat there in a numb state for a long time. It gradually sunk in but it took a long time for me to come to terms with the fact."

Regarding the tough time they had during the treatment process, she said, "The doctor told us that the treatment was going to be very difficult but that Yuvraj would be cured and that he would be able to start playing again after six weeks of therapy. It was wonderful to hear the doctor say that and I clung onto that piece of news. We had also read Lance Armstrong's book where he had mentioned that the treatment was very harsh, it would make you miserable and you would start crying for no reason. So, when I saw Yuvraj crying, I would only think that the medicine was working rather than thinking why my son was crying."

Credit - ANI