Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering moment, and for actor Hina Khan, it brought unexpected challenges both personally and professionally. In an episode of SCREEN’s Dear Me, she mentioned, “There were a couple of projects I was supposed to start, but after mutual discussions, we took a call. It’s not like this (cancer) will get cured in 2-3 months. It will take a year or even a year and a half. People have deadlines, so they had to replace me. It was hard for them, but it was okay. I had to give up two projects, but at the time, prioritising my health was important. Getting better mattered. Initially, it affected me, but now it doesn’t bother me. I am back to work. It was a glitch, which I am handling.”Khan also shared her journey of being diagnosed with breast cancer and how the news impacted her emotionally, after her partner revealed it to her. “Ro (Rocky) came home and told me about the diagnosis. I was having dinner, so he waited for me to finish, and then he broke the news. It took about 10 minutes to sink in. I just couldn’t believe what happened. I just put my head down and didn’t know what to do. 15 minutes before Ro came home, I told my brother that, after many years, I was craving falooda. We just ordered it. Until then, I didn’t know anything because the doctor had directly called Rocky.”The actor continued, “After he shared the news, nobody spoke a word. The news was going to consume me. Maybe I would have started crying, and then the bell rang. It was the falooda we ordered. At that moment I realised this may sound silly to a lot of people, but that falooda was a turning point for me. I thought to myself, ‘Hina that’s your life, you called for a falooda, enjoy it, this is just a glitch, a hiccup that can be dealt with, but that is your life’.”DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Mentally coping with the initial shock and fear of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illnessGurleen Baruah, existential psychotherapist at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, “The moment someone hears about being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, it feels like the ground has been pulled from under them. Some people experience numbness, while others are hit with waves of emotions — fear, anger, grief, and even guilt, questioning if they could have done something differently.”With time, however, the mind slowly recalibrates, she adds. The initial panic gives way to acceptance—not passively, but as a form of adaptation. “Psychologically, this involves cognitive reframing — shifting from ‘Why me?’ to ‘What now?’, processing emotions rather than suppressing them, and finding meaning in the face of adversity.”Story continues below this adBaruah stresses that the first and most important thing for cancer patients is to focus on their health. Work, goals, and plans may need to pause, but taking care of the body and mind comes first. While this can feel frustrating, accepting it as a necessary break for healing can make it easier to cope. Some people even describe this time as a new beginning—a chance to slow down, reflect, and see life from a different perspective.Importance of psychological support during cancer treatmentPsychological support, like therapy or counselling, is just as important as medical treatment during cancer. “A diagnosis brings not just physical challenges but also emotional struggles — fear, anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty about the future. Talking to a therapist helps patients process these emotions and feel heard and supported. It also provides coping strategies to deal with stress, loss of control, and the ups and downs of treatment,” highlights Baruah. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.