HIGHLIGHTS:
• Rishi Ajatshatru, a cancer patient since 2002, has evolved into a motivational speaker
• He encourages others to live a happy and healthy life
• Rishi is organising a ‘Chai for Cancer’ programme to earn funds for the Max Foundation
Rishi Ajatshatru, a cancer patient since 2002, has evolved into a motivational speaker who encourages others to live a happy and healthy life. Rishi not only holds regular yoga sessions for cancer patients, but he also hosts events such as ‘Chai for Cancer’ and raises funds for cancer patients through crowdfunding.
Knowing about his disease
Rishi claims that when he first informed of his illness, he became tremendously depressed. His life, however, was turned upside down when he met Dr. S H Advani at Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital. “Is bimari se to nahin maroge, lekin iske naam se mat mar jana,” the doctor said, “you will not die of the disease, but do not die in its name.”
Those words had a profound impact on him. “Before I was diagnosed with the disease, I went to a few Art of Living workshops, which I continued and eventually became an Art of Living teacher.” Then I began teaching yoga and meditation to others. “Every year, I teach yoga at the All India Cancer Patients’ event, where I am also invited to encourage patients to practise yoga on a regular basis, which would aid in their rehabilitation as well as maintain them physically healthy,” Rishi added.
Daily medication and meditation helps in living normal life
His illness is incurable, but he has demonstrated that with daily medication and meditation, he can live a normal life. He has Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), which causes the white blood cells (WBC) to grow malignant and kill the red blood cells (RBC), resulting in a blood shortage in the body.
Raising funds for cancer patients
Rishi is organising a ‘Chai for Cancer’ programme in which he offers tea to the public in order to earn funds for the Max Foundation, which then delivers free drugs to cancer patients in need. He regularly attends and actively participates in cancer patient meetings.
The doctor’s motivational words
After realising that he has Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Rishi got depressed. “Is bimari se to nahin maroge, lekin iske naam se mat mar jana,” said Dr. S H Advani of Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital. That piece of advice shifted his perspective.
