Mumbai, May 6
Actress Lisa Ray, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009, has talked about how she went into premature chemotherapy induced menopause at age 37.
Lisa took to Instagram, where she shared a video collage of herself with "this is me in menopause" and "menopause does not have a face " written on it.
In the caption she wrote about how menopause and disease induced menopause is treated with shame.
She wrote in the caption: "This is me in Menopause. Menopause does not have one face
This is my story of chemo induced menopause. I went into premature chemo induced menopause at 37 At that time it was the least of my worries."
Lisa added: "I had a blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma to contend with. And the fact I went public also kept me busy at that time. But after recovering, I could focus on what being in Menopause suddenly at 37 would mean. And I had no one to talk to. So I've been navigating this unspoken terrain for years now.
"Both menopause and disease induced menopause have been treated with shame and silence for too long. Maybe thats why I am talking now at 53 and embracing the authenticity that comes at this age."
Lisa made her acting debut in 1994 in the film Hanste Khelte. Through her acting career, she has showcased a penchant for issue-oriented portrayals, most notably in the 2005 Oscar-nominated Canadian film Water and the award-winning South African feature The World Unseen. She began writing The Yellow Diaries, a blog about her experiences of having cancer.
Lisa was last seen in the 2021 film "99 Songs" directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy. It stars debutants Ehan Bhat and Edilsy Vargas in lead roles, alongside Aditya Seal, Lisa Ray and Manisha Koirala among others in supporting roles. The film is a sensual story about the art and self-discovery of a struggling singer who wants to be a successful music composer.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So brave of Lisa to share this! In India, we don't even talk about normal menopause openly, let alone chemo-induced. My aunt went through similar but never spoke about it. More celebs should use their platform for such important issues ðŸ‘
Respect for her courage. But I wish she'd also talked about Ayurvedic solutions that could help with menopause symptoms. Our traditional medicine has much to offer in such cases.
This hits home 💔 My mother had breast cancer treatment and nobody prepared her for early menopause. Indian hospitals need better counseling for these side effects. Lisa's voice will help so many women!
While I appreciate her sharing, I wonder if this will change anything in rural India where women's health is still taboo. We need more awareness at grassroots level, not just social media activism.
Lisa has always been a trailblazer! From Water to now, she never shies away from difficult topics. More power to her! Maybe now Bollywood will make films about real women's issues instead of just rom-coms 🤞
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