Fear cancer recurring, but have to be positive: Manisha

Actress Manisha Koirala, who was earlier diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has now recovered, says there is always a fear the disease may recur but she believes in being positive in life.

"I did not take care of my health earlier... I was not looking after myself. It (cancer) made me realise health is important, eating right is important, exercise is required.

 There is a fear that it (cancer) can come back anytime. But one must be positive," Manisha told reporters here today at the launch of Prevention magazine, on whose cover page she features.

Manisha, 43, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, a type of cancer that is difficult to diagnose and may often be detected late as it does not have typical symptoms.

"Cancer is a huge challenge, a huge test some of us survive and some don't due to various reasons. There is lot of stigma attached to it (cancer), you lose all hope, your family is also living in negative environment, you feel there is a dead end. But I was fortunate to have people around me who helped me and were there with me emotionally," Manisha said.

The actress plans to do something for those suffering from the disease.

"Cancer is not the death sentence, there is hope. Science has changed by leaps and bounds. Today we are able to deal with the treatment. I want to raise hope for people who don't have hope, who don't have access, resources. I will do something through certain platform... in certain ways. I want to repay back to the needy," she said.

Manisha said some Bollywood celebrities like Shatrughan Sinha, Tabu and Gulshan Grover enquired about her welfare during her testing times.