Hemipelvectomy Treatment in India

Anjali Joshi, a 42-year-old architect and...

Anjali Joshi, a 42-year-old architect and mother of two from Mumbai, had been experiencing persistent, deep pain in her left hip for over a year. Initially dismissed as a stubborn muscle strain, the pain became debilitating. Imaging revealed a large, aggressive chondrosarcoma (bone cancer) originating in her left ilium. After multiple failed rounds of targeted radiation and chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, her oncologist and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Mehta, delivered the difficult news: a hemipelvectomy was the only curative option left to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. The prospect of losing her entire left leg and half of her pelvis was devastating. Anjali grappled with profound grief for the life she knew, her career, her ability to play with her children, her independence. The 12-hour surgery was successful in achieving clear margins. Her recovery at a specialized rehabilitation center was grueling; learning to use a prosthetic for this high-level amputation was a monumental challenge. A year later, Anjali walks with a prosthetic and a cane. While she had to close her architecture firm, she now consults remotely. The emotional journey was a crucible: from despair and anger to a hard-won acceptance. She focuses on what she has, her family, her life, and has become a resilient advocate for amputee support groups in India, finding purpose in her new reality.