Today, as part of mDhil Diva, we focus on the beautiful Lisa Ray – a multi-talented performer and cancer-survivor who serves as an inspiration for all.
Lisa Ray_mdhil divaWho is Lisa Ray?
The half Polish-half Indian, light-eyed beauty won a million hearts as an exotic desert mirage in the video for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Afreen afreen’, released in 1996.
From then on, there was no looking back for Lisa Ray. She continued to shuttle between India and Canada and enjoyed a hectic career as an actress, model and host; and even went on to star in ‘Water’ Deepa Mehta’s Oscar nominated film for 2005.
Then, in 2009, Lisa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare cancer of the white blood cells and everything Lisa had taken for granted suddenly seemed so fleeting.
Lisa Ray – The lady who beat cancer
In 2009, at the age of 37, Lisa was busy with her various jobs in Canada and India and found herself getting more and more exhausted. A visit to the doctor revealed devastating news – Lisa had multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable form of cancer.
Not one to go down without trying, Lisa decided to take the cancer head on. Thanks to a combination of chemotherapy, steroids and stem cell treatment, she was declared cancer-free in January 2010.
Lisa realises that the cancer can come back any time and she goes back to the hospital for regular tests. But more than that, she has come out of the cancer with a new appreciation of life and is now looking at every single day as a blessing and focusing on squeezing the maximum joy out of everyday.
Why she’s an mDhil Diva
At 39, Lisa is an inspiration for men and women around the world. Not only has she beaten cancer with grace and determination, she’s also come out stronger, sharper and looking more beautiful as ever. Recently engaged, Lisa is back to working as a model and TV host and also spreading awareness about multiple myeloma.
Photograph via Creative Commons
With inputs from Lisa Ray’s official website
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Lisa Ray – mDhil Diva is a post from: mDhil