‘Exceptional survivor with right attitude’

Top DST scientist Akhilesh Gupta won the battle with cancer, primarily due to his attitude, says Alok Thakar, a surgeon at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

He did not look back once on his difficult past and cared little about the disfigurement from a series of surgeries. “He has the confidence to move forward and I think he’s immersed himself in work,” Thakar told BusinessLine .

Gupta had gone into a typical psychological low, as happens when one is hit by bad news. One goes into a denial; in Gupta’s case, it was for for a very short period. “He was able to move quickly into what we call a phase where the patient becomes a willing or effective partner in the treatment. This is phase of acceptance and moving forward.” Gupta had presented a challenging case to the surgeons.

Recalling the initial phase of treatment, Thakar said Gupta had some complications, with the reconstruction efforts not being fully effective.

“He had his share of bad luck. But because he is a high achiever, he realised the value of time and its potential. That is what has given him a fresh impetus to make the best use of it.

“Many patients do well from a medical point of view, but undoubtedly Gupta has a far better attitude. He has not been defeated by his illness. He’s an exceptional survivor.”