Lisa Ray says cancer and menopause taught her ‘life and patience aren’t guaranteed’

Actress Lisa Ray shared an emotional reflection on social media, saying her battle with cancer and experience with perimenopause reshaped her outlook on ageing, self-worth and life. She said the challenges taught her to listen to her body and prioritise herself.

Mumbai: Actress Lisa Ray, on Monday, shared a deeply personal reflection on how her battle with cancer and her experience with perimenopause have transformed the way she looked at life, ageing and self-worth.

Taking to his social media account, Lisa shared a series of workout pictures and wrote that every passing decade strips away expectations and labels imposed by society.

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Reflecting on the pressure women often face, she wrote that people, especially women are told they need to “stay small to be loved,” that their worth lies in their appearance, and that saying “no” makes them difficult.

She wrote, “Every decade strips away another illusion, another label, another expectation. The ones which say – you have to stay small to be loved or the ones that tell you, your worth lives in appearance. That saying “no” makes you difficult and that ageing is something to resist.”

She went on to share how life’s challenges changed her perspective. “I’ve found the opposite to be true. The older I get, the more my body asks for strength instead of punishment. Rest instead of guilt. Curiosity instead of criticism. Cancer taught me that life is precious. Menopause reminds me daily that my body is always adapting and changing.”

Further, Lisa added that neither cancer nor menopause left her bitter. Instead, she said they made her unapologetic about listening to her body and prioritising herself.

“Neither has left me with a bitter aftertaste, but they’ve made me unapologetic. So if we’re giving it a name, call it spitemaxxing. Tuning out the world’s opinions, turning up your own inner guidance. I’ll call it finally being at home in my own skin. And yes… the stronger glutes are a bonus. @Lisa here you go.”

The actress also shared slides that read, “Apparently, it’s called ‘spite’. I call it… finally listening to my body,” and “Cancer taught me life isn’t guaranteed. Perimenopause taught me patience isn’t either. Both taught me to choose myself.”

For the uninitiated, Lisa Ray was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable cancer of the plasma cells in 2009 at the age of 37.

She underwent treatment, including chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, and announced that she was cancer-free in 2010 after achieving remission.

Over the years, the Bollywood Hollywood actress has spoken openly about living with the disease, and has firmly advocated for cancer awareness, early diagnosis and mental well-being.

On the work front, Lisa began her career as a model before making her acting debut with the 1994 Tamil film ‘Nethaji’. She gained widespread recognition with the 2001 romantic drama ‘Kasoor’.

She later received international acclaim for films such as ‘Water’, directed by Deepa Mehta, ‘I Can’t Think Straight’, ‘The World Unseen’ and the Academy Award-nominated Indo-Canadian film ‘Water’.

In recent years, she appeared in projects including ‘Four More Shots Please!’.