By MInahil Makhdoom
There are so many Pakistani celebrities who do not just entertain the viewers but are also role models in many ways. Some of them are setting the right examples by sharing their challenging journeys through which they reached their goals. There are others who have been combating serious diseases and have managed to beat them. Cancer is an illness, the diagnosis of which can shake anyone to the core. There are many Pakistani celebrities who fought this illness exceptionally bravely and some of them did it right before everyone’s eyes. Others narrated their journeys in different interviews which proved to be a ray of hope and motivation for all those people who are fighting such serious diseases. It is definitely not easy talking about something so personal and painful but the honesty of these celebrities shows that they want to use their own journeys to help others. There are so many people who look up to these celebrities therefore the way the fought this disease has and will definitely affect how they perceive their own journeys.
Here is a list of those brave and beautiful Pakistani celebrities who fought Cancer.
Asma Abbas
Asma Abbas talked about her inspiring fight with cancer after she was free of the disease. Asma Abbas talked about this in detail multiple times. She shared how she felt when she was diagnosed with cancer and the way her doctors helped her get better. Asma Abbas made sure that her spirits were high and she saw the good in everything even at a time when she was fighting the most challenging battle of her life.
Not only this, Asma Abbas’ positive approach towards the diagnosis and during the treatment helped her get through this difficult time in a way no one can imagine. She shared that the doctors were sure that the reason for her timely recovery was her positivity. Her strong faith in Allah also help her combat cancer, she accepted what Allah had willed for her and trusted in him for his future journey. She was excited about her upcoming films, something she wanted to do all her life and therefore that kept her going as well. She wanted to get better and get back to shooting for the films.
Asma Nabeel
Asma Nabeel who wrote the scripts for dramas such as Khaani, Maan Jao Na, Khuda Mera Bhi Hei, Surkh Chandni, Damsa and so many more, also fought bravely with cancer. She is also a producer who is the brain behind some of the best Pakistani films. After fighting with cancer, Asma set out on a mission to raise awareness about breast cancer. She has often talked about the taboos attached to the disease and how it affects the women suffering from it. Asma Nabeel’s children were young when she was diagnosed with the disease but according to her Allah gave her the strength to cope with it. She also shared that if it weren’t for her fight with cancer, she wouldn’t have changed as an individual therefore she sees this journey as a life-altering experience in more ways than one.
Laila Wasti
Laila Wasti is the daughter of two of the biggest and most glamorous Pakistani celebrities. She has been in the showbiz industry for a really long time and people know her for her unique acting style. All of a sudden Laila Wasti completely disappeared from the industry for more than a decade. No one really knew why she was not seen on television anymore until recently when she made a comeback and also told her inspiring story. She moved to the US to study but while she was there she was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. The treatment led to even more complications and as a result of that, she was fighting the disease for over 7 years. Laila Wasti shared her heart-warming story of strength in a recent interview. Just like all the amazing celebrities on this list, it was Laila’s willpower, faith in Allah, and the support of her loved ones that helped her sail through these trying times.
Nadia Jamil
The difference between all these strong cancer survivors and Nadia Jamil is that she was the only celebrity who was really vocal and transparent about her journey while she was going through it all. She told people when she was diagnosed with cancer and kept on sharing every step of her journey. Through it all, that smile never left Nadia’s face and her spirits were always high. She was diagnosed with cancer at a time when corona was at its peak and as a consequence, she had a lot more to deal with. Yet her presence on social media and her constant reminder to people to look at the bright side no matter what proved to be inspiring for so many. Nadia is also a social activist and she even used her journey of recovering from cancer as a means to achieve that end of somehow helping people while she healed herself.
Naila Jaffery
Naila Jaffery’s journey of fighting cancer started with absolutely no hope. When she diagnosed doctors told her that they could do nothing for her because the disease had spread so much. She went from living an overactive life to being bedridden. She could barely move and went into depression. Then the love of the people around her gave her the courage to hope that spiritual remedies will prove to be fruitful for her. That is when she started doing something an anonymous caller had asked her to. It was natural and spiritual healing which ultimately helped her. She has now moved from Karachi to Gilgit so that she can be somewhere she can live the kind of life she wants to live.
Palwasha Yousuf
Palwasha Yousuf is not an actress but she is well-known not just as famous actress Syra Yousuf’s sister but also as someone who has done a few modeling ventures. She is also a businesswoman who runs her own salon. Palwasha was diagnosed with cancer a few years back and she fought with it bravely. Now she is cancer-free and doing whatever she can in order to raise awareness about breast cancer. She makes sure that she goes to every cancer awareness seminar to which she is invited so that she can share her experiences with other people. She also plays an active role in collecting charity for Shaukat Khanum Hospital.
Uzma Gillani
Uzma Gillani has given more than 50 years of her life to the Pakistani drama industry. Her acting style is loved by everyone who has ever seen her perform. A lot of people might not know that many years ago Uzma Gillani was diagnosed with cancer. When she first heard the news, she was in shock but then she decided she had to fight this disease and make it lose. She shared that if you want to live and get well then the universe conspired to make that happen. Her story is nothing short of an inspiration for everyone out there no matter what battles they are fighting in their life. She is living her life to the fullest now and using her fight with cancer as a means to educate and create awareness.
All these Pakistani celebrities have set such an amazing example for all those people who are struggling with this disease and might feel like giving up. They have been honest about their struggles and also talked about how difficult it was for them to go through all of this. They have proved one thing that if you have faith in Allah and believe that you will get better than it is bound to happen.
