Going public with cancer wasn't brave but necessary: Lisa Ray

"I never thought (going public about cancer) was necessarily brave, just necessary, and maybe useful to others looking for a platform from which to share their feelings," the actress told Toronto Star.

On her blog and elsewhere, Lisa has made it known that she would like to use her celebrity status to draw public attention to the advances that are being made in myeloma treatment. "The diagnosis didn't paralyse me. Quite the opposite... it was a relief. I knew something was wrong. My body was telling me that much..." Ray was quoted as saying.

"An open forum gives me the opportunity to rally awareness of this form of cancer, and others a way of telling their stories. The response has been overwhelming, so I know my efforts have been worthwhile," said Ray.

The actress, who had earlier skipped the preview of 'Cooking With Stella' at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival here, triggering speculation about her health, said that a "bad reaction to medication" had forced her to refrain from making a public appearance. Ray, 37, opened the market at the Stock Exchange here to commemorate the gala premiere of the movie along with co-star Don McKellar on Wednesday.

Ray also walked down the red carpet at the Roy Thomson Hall with the cast and crew of the movie in the evening. The actress, who also has a small role in another 2009 TIFF entry, Peter Stebbing's Woody Harrelson starrer 'Defendor', plays the role of a Canadian diplomat Maya in 'Cooking With Stella', who moves to India with her chef husband Michael (Don McKellar) where she is welcomed by their cook Stella (Seema Biswas) and nanny Tannu (Shriya Saran).

She has earlied worked with Deepa Mehta on 'Bollywood Hollywood' and Oscar-nominated 'Water'. Renowned photojournalist Dilip Mehta, who had assisted Deepa in 'Water' and 'Heaven on Earth' as creative producer and production designer, has directed the movie, which was shot in Delhi.