JOIN USLiving the life of a musician, singer, quiz master, performer and emcee — all this seems so glamorous. Little does one know of the struggles that the person has gone through to get where they are.
Mark Rego’s story is one such inspiring tale. He was diagnosed with cancer 13 years ago. “I did not know how to react because my kids were small and I thought it was not a big deal. But then the doctors said it was too late. It was the final stage of cancer and I was told that I would live for only 5 more months,” he recollects.
He says his wife and mother were by his side throughout. His mother is a cancer survivor too which helped him push through.
When Mark learned that he was suffering from cancer, he did not give up. He claims that 50% or more of battling and winning cancer is in the mind. His perspective towards life has changed completely since this journey.
“I was very carefree and did not bother much about anything. But after this, I changed my thinking and doing a lot more meaningful things. I do what other people are usually scared of because you never know when you will die,” he says.
He cites an interesting example. When he shifted to his new house, there was a big dump yard filled with rubbish. He used to watch kids playing football and cricket in small space available.
Being a sportsman himself, it pained him to see these kids struggle.
So one day, he went up to them and asked them if they would help him.
Soon, 47 truck loads of garbage were removed from the yard. When people saw them clear out the garbage, they pitched in as well.
Now, the yard is a clean, open space that used by the elderly for laughing clubs
and walks, mothers with prams and children who love to play.
Mark states that things like this bring him joy.
He says, “You need to start a movement. 99% of Indians blame the government and politicians, but you need to stand up and say ‘let us be the change’.”
Mark also works with orphanages and helps people in need. He talks about how he gets irritated when people ask him how he finds the time for all this.
“Take the first step, be the change and the rest will follow. There is no such thing as no time — you have to make time for things you enjoy.”
He admits that not many people knew that he was fighting cancer, except his mother, wife and kids.
He hid it from society and the world as he believed it was his own battle. He opened up about it during the latter part of it, when he was recovering.
“My biggest worry was losing my hair after the chemotherapy. I used to love my hairstyle. I was one of the earliest ones in the city to go blonde and had a funny hair cut. When I used to walk down Brigade Road, everyone turned, laughed and whispered to each
other.”
His self esteem did take a beating. Mark became less confident in himself.
He worried a lot and was always in a state of ‘should I or should not’?
“It is all in my head now — I do what I want to do. I am always laughing, singing and joking. The only change I made was deciding to stay happy.”