Dr Selvi Radhakrishna believes that nothing prepares you for cancer and that the scenario in India is completely different from abroad. “Here, doctors are treated like Gods and no questions asked. Cancer detection and treatment can be a scary time for patients and there is no literature to educate them or caring relatives,” she says. Through her book All About Breast Cancer, she attempts to fill this gap. Consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon who practices at Apollo Specialty Hospital and Chennai Breast Centre, Dr Selvi graduated from Madras Medical College.
Her areas of specialisation involve breast conservation surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy, modified radical mastectomy and other oncoplastic breast techniques.
Her book presents the various cultural issues an Indian woman might face when diagnosed with breast cancer. She gives practical hints to cope with treatment-related issues. Through scenarios that she has faced in her career as an oncologist, she has interspersed the important lessons in the book with anecdotes from real life. In addition, readers will also gain access to a list of NGOs and charitable organisations that provide financial aid for treatment and rehabilitation, and most importantly, for emotional support. “I’ve tried to make this book patient-centric,” says Dr Selvi. It will also enable patients to participate in their treatment process, she adds.
A fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, she recently completed a PG diploma in clinical oncology from the University of Birmingham, UK. She obtained extensive training in breast surgery from Cancer Institute, AIIMS-New Delhi and Edinburgh Breast Unit-UK.
Having established the Chennai Breast Centre, she works tirelessly to help women deal with breast cancer. She has tied up with Springer to bring out her next academic book on diagnosis and management of breast cancer.
—preethi@newindianexpress.com