The Big C at Thirty-Three

Words  Radhika Nanalal

It was the British summer of 2016 and intuitively I knew something was terribly wrong. I had been experiencing unrelenting spotting between periods for over 6 months, and when my periods came, although sporadic, were torrential with large clots and severe pelvic pain. I was well versed with heavy painful periods, and irregular cycles having had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Endometriosis for as long as I can remember. But these symptoms hit differently. Guided by an inner pull, I booked a scan, and gauging the sonographer’s reaction, I knew I needed to see my gynaecologist quickly. 

My gynaecologist, Dr Priddy was an angel incarnate. He had previously helped me conceive my then 3.5-year-old daughter, after many years of struggling with PCOS, endometriosis, and infertility. I trusted his expertise, and guidance, having changed consultants after failed fertility treatments. Dr Priddy was confident that with the same procedure previously performed I would have my cycles back to normal and would be on the road to conceiving baby number two. After all I was 33, at the peak of my baby making era, and having laparoscopic surgery (which included ovarian drilling, uterine polyp removal, endometrial oblation, or as I would call it, reproductive health enhancement and servicing) would get my body, health, and life back on track. 

 God had a different plan for me. Baby two was not part of that plan. Not yet anyway. Two weeks post surgery, I received the fateful call from Dr Priddy’s receptionist requesting my urgent attendance to discuss my biopsy report, and by the end of the week I found myself nervously sitting in the hospital waiting room, anticipating the worst news I could hear. And it came: “You have cancer” he said! Three words that forever changed my life. Nothing can ever prepare you for a cancer diagnosis. Not then. Not ever. And yet there I was, bewildered, numb, watching the blurry montage of my life flashing before me. All I wanted to know was, how bad it was, how far it had spread, and how long I had? Would my daughter grow up being mothered by another woman? The questions were endless. My mind was reeling. Cancer was supposed to be for old people. It was a disease that was not meant for me. Not at my age. Yet here she was, knocking at my door like an unwelcome visitor.  

I was very lucky it was caught early and was at early stages of disease. Given my age, I was referred to an gynaecologist oncologist in central London by the name of Dr McIndoe, who was renowned for his expertise in treating younger women with gynaecological cancers. Had I have been 10 years older a full hysterectomy would have been my first line of treatment. The thought of losing my uterus was overwhelmingly scary. What was supposed to be my powerhouse of womanhood, the organ of reproduction and giver of life being taken away from me too soon was honestly unbearable. There was grief and anger, and of course safety. I had one child already, and her need for mothering superseded my need to bear another child at that point in time. I needed space. To think. To feel. To nurture. To heal. To understand. To listen. My body had been speaking to me for years, and I chose not to listen. I could no longer run and hide. Now was the time to make friends with this guest, and so the road in became the road out. 

Along with receiving allopathic treatment in the form of a Mirena coil (a progesterone releasing uterine device) I decided to take radical control of my diet and lifestyle. I began juicing and fasting protocols (the two protocols I followed were by Cancer thriving veterans Chris Wark and Kristine Matheson) regularly practicing hot yoga, removing toxic substances from my environment and body (cleaning and personal care products), journaling and rediscovering my creative flair by painting. I also went for holistic treatments that included colon cleansing, IV vitamin C therapy, mistletoe injections, and used meditation as a tool to calm my anxious mind. 

Within a month I felt incredible and by the third month my gynaecologist oncologist gave me the all clear. The by-product of making these changes was so significant my ovaries showed no signs of being polycystic, and my periods returned to a predictable 28 day cycle. This was unheard of for me, and to reaffirm my new found health status I enquired from Dr McIndoe if reversing my PCOS was because of the Mirena coil, and his answer was a resounding “NO”. He explained, and I am paraphrasing here, that “because you have implemented significant diet and lifestyle changes and as a result lost 20kgs, your whole metabolic rate has changed therefore reversing your PCOS and biomarkers for cancer”. He looked at me optimistically and said “continue what you’re doing, because whatever it is, it’s working. I have not seen this kind of reversal before”. And so I did. 

 I continued following the wellness path I had carved out. With my new-found perspective and gift of life, I embarked on a yoga teacher training, allowing me to share the wisdom I had learnt to heal. The re-birth of my body, mind and spirit also gave way for the birth of a different kind ~ a business. Rooted in wellness, I AM
PYLGRYM was born; a beautiful fashion brand for the modern bohemian goddess. 

 In 2021, I returned to Australia having lived abroad for 20 years. I moved through the pangs of the global pandemic, relocating with my husband, daughter, furry rag doll called Pom Pom, and my business. Drawn to the coastal lifestyle, we settled on the sunny shores of the Gold Coast where I relaunched I AM PYLGRYM. It has been a homecoming for me, having spent a good portion of my childhood growing up on the Krishna Village in Murwillumbah, and my high school years boarding at St Hildas School on the Gold Coast.  

It’s now seven and a half years since that initial diagnosis. Here is how I befriended that seemingly unwanted guest who came to stay. I stopped running. I acknowledged parts of myself that needed healing and gave myself full permission to feel every part of it. I gave myself space and time to do so. In private. I became curious about my thoughts and feelings as they showed up, and rather than place judgement I got a little closer to the dragon. Her darkness and the lightness I sought were two parallel parts of the same being. And so, we became friends. 

Yoga, meditation, journaling, and creative expressions were my daily tools to be well. Choosing nutrient dense foods and omitting foods that were heavily processed allowed my body to heal and return home. What was my greatest adversity became my greatest gift and teacher. Without this diagnosis I would never have changed my life. And now, I have the gift of sharing with others. I feel incredibly blessed to not only design and create fashion collections but to continue to dress women to look and feel like goddesses.

You can follow me at @radhikananalal and @iampylgrym or vist www.iampylgrym.com

Discount code for TCL readers: WELOVETWEED20 for 20% off all collections – apply code at checkout.

 I am also excited to share that my first yoga and wellness retreat since relocating is taking place on Sunday 24th March 2024, where I will be guiding women to harness their own creative super power.