Highlights
*Rishi Kapoor loses his battle to Leukemia
*What is Leukemia?
*Prevention of Leukemia
It’s the irony of life. Even the bold, beautiful, rich and charming are not spared by disease and illness. Rishi Kapoor aka Chintoo, the quintessential Bollywood romantic and charming chocolate boy of the 70s and 80s, lost his battle to leukemia yesterday. He breathed his last at age of 67 at 8:45 AM on April 30 in Mumbai.
Here we cannot help but quote from his songs Nawazish, Karm, Shukriya , Meherbani…Rishi continued to charm and smile through all the pain he endured till it was Purdah hai Purdah on his life.
The most romantic hero of Bollywood is gone💔#RishiKapoor pic.twitter.com/qPTXMJkKlq
— RanbirKapoorfan (@shiva___1111111) April 30, 2020
The pop sensation of the 80s, who shined,shimmeyed, thumped and shaked through Om Shanti Om; knew the secret lies in smiling and connecting with hearts. Those close to him say `he denied being in pain and tried to appear normal all through.
https://twitter.com/LyricsMaze/status/1255900839559876608
Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2018. He returned from New York after his treatment in September 2019.
What is Leukemia?
So, what’s leukemia which claimed Rishi Kapoor’s life? As per the American Cancer Society, “ Leukemia is a form of cancer of blood-forming tissue including bone marrow and lymphatic system. It is the cancer of white blood cells, which is vital for our immune system. It makes our body’s immunity weak, exposing it to any invasion by foreign substances, bacteria, and viruses. The WBCs multiply quickly and eventually it crowd out red blood cells, which our body needs to be healthy.
Leukemia Symptoms
Many patients don’t develop symptoms for quite a long time. However, some may have symptoms like excessive sweating, especially at night (called “night sweats”), fatigue and weakness. There is weight loss, bone pain. One can also develop painless, swollen lymph nodes (especially in the neck and armpits), red spots on the skin, called petechiae. Fever or chills, ulcer, nose bleed, frequent infections are other symptoms.
In case cancer spreads to the central nervous system, it can lead to headaches, nausea and vomiting, confusion, loss of muscle control, and seizures.
Leukemia Treatment and Diagnosis
To diagnose leukemia, doctors will use blood tests, biopsies, and imaging tests to come to a conclusion. Even the complete blood count helps in determining the numbers of WBCs, RBCs and platelets. The abnormal appearance in the blood cell can be detected by looking at it under a microscope.
The treatment of leukemia is done by a hematologist-oncologist, doctors specialized in blood disorders and cancer. The treatment hugely depends on the type and stage of the leukemia.
Prevention of Cancer
As per World Health Organization
- Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer.
- Approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.
- Around one third of deaths from cancer are due to the 5 leading behavioral and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol .
As per Cancer Research Institute, more than 25 per cent of the cases can be prevented through lifestyle changes. It is vital to help people make changes that will `stack the odds in their favour and reduce their cancer risk.’ EPIC research shows that the risk of cancer is lowered by eating a so-called “Mediterranean diet” including plenty of wholegrains, fruits and vegetables, with only small amounts of alcohol and processed or red meats. This research helps people to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle, so that they can take steps to lower their risk of cancer.
The research Institute says that “we already know a lot about how to prevent cancer. If we, as a society, put everything we know into practice through healthy lifestyle choices and policies that protect the public, we could prevent about 4 in 10 cancer cases. But we still need to learn more about how the disease develops and how we can stop it before it starts.
So, let us all focus on prevention and making a few lifestyle changes.
For now, we leave you with beautiful songs from Rishi Kapoor’s lovely films. His teenage romance in Bobby, Khel Khel Mein, Kabhi Kabhi,Karz, Chandni and Damini. He was royal yet down to earth and humble. He danced (Dafliwale), sang, and played instruments (Khel Khel Mein) as he serenaded his leading ladies.
Son of legendary film maker Raj Kapoor and grandson of the legend Prithviraj Kapoor. He is survived by wife Neetu kapoor and son Ranbir Kapoor and daughter Riddhima.
May his soul dance on
