Ahmedabad: As a primary care physician, Dr Deval Gadhvi, now 50, was not new to the dreaded ‘C’ word. But when breast cancer turned personal in 2015, the diagnosis left her “utterly befuddled”, she says — because it defied every textbook risk marker she knew.”I wasn’t just a doctor then; I was also a patient,” Dr Gadhvi recalls. “There were no markers — smoking, drinking, family history.
The journey to recovery was relatively easier because of my medical background, but it taught me one critical lesson — the power of early intervention and human connection,” said the Jersey City-based physician, who was speaking to TOI on the sidelines of the IMA NATCON held in Ahmedabad recently. Radiation and chemotherapy helped her beat cancer, but the emotional toll lingered. So did a resolve to ensure others didn’t lose precious time to stigma, silence or fear.
Having moved to the US after her marriage in 1999, Dr Gadhvi’s own healing was anchored by family and community. That support system sharpened her perspective when she visited her native Kutch in 2016. What she saw disturbed her: women battling cancers diagnosed far too late, often because taboos kept them away from doctors, driving mortality rates high. Determined to act, she launched an ambitious outreach programme using a specialised medical bus equipped with diagnostic tools. The initiative began modestly — four villages and two urban slum pockets — with local NGOs brought on board to amplify its reach. But progress was painfully slow. “Despite our awareness drives, women were still hesitant to come forward for screenings,” Dr Gadhvi said.
The breakthrough came with a simple yet powerful shift in strategy: take the message to schools. Appealing directly to children, the programme evolved into the ‘Let’s Save Ma’ campaign, urging youngsters to persuade their mothers — and other women in the family — to undergo check-ups. The results were immediate and lasting. “It’s been a success ever since,” she said, crediting community participation for helping the initiative expand far beyond its initial footprint. Even as she continues her medical practice and social work in Jersey City, Dr Gadhvi remains deeply invested in awareness campaigns.
