120/100
‪#‎100sareepact‬

An old favourite Tussar Cotton / Silk and a repeat . This orange and beige drape was perfect for the day long Breast Conference at the Shaw Mazumdar Cancer Centre in Bangalore . Organised by my dear friend Bhawna Sirohi herself one of the most skilled medical oncologists today . We have known each other for well over two decades ever since her early days in Tata Hospital.
Day One of the conference has been a revelation . Surgical , Radiation and Medical Oncologists of both National and International fame sharing their latest updates , engaging in exuberant debates and focussing on their patients’ needs first and foremost .
Meeting one of my best Face Book and Instagram friends after a long gap ( bridged effectively of course by Social Media ) Dr Nagraj Head of Radiation Oncology in Nanavati Hospital and we laughingly pose for those mandatory “have to upload pictures ” . It’s amazing how he asks me in this is Saree #106 ? Of course I follow your posts he says and find some of your sarees really beautiful .
I love the men who love the Saree Pact indeed !!!
Finally, it is at this conference I Meeta Trevor Powles ,leading Breast Cancer expert from the UK and The Royal Marsden . But it did not seem like the first time at all . His striking resemblance to Ray Powles his twin brother , my dear friend of many years and the last word in Medical Oncology is something else!! Took my breath away .
I met Ray Powles for the first time at a conference like this maybe 18 years ago . So intrigued and impressed was he by my work in awareness and early detection that he decided to send his twin sons Sam and Luke to spend a week with me in Bombay before they went to Medical School ! What a week that was . And what an orientation to the young teenagers. Yes , both of them are trained , competent physicians now and I am reminded of the serendipitous timing of my visit to London in 2000 and how I accompanied Ray and went to drop Sam and Luke to their Medical School just outside London and saw them settle down in their respective ” dorms ” .
Talking about all this to Trevor reminds me of how this set of twins themselves decided on a career in medicine where now their respective sons are making a mark.
When Ray and Trevor were teenagers both were struck down by Tuberculosis and it was during their treatment they decided to study Medicine themselves !!!
After one of the longest days of Conferencing we all headed to Glenmore the beautiful home of Kiran Mazumdar Shaw for the conference dinner . Gracious hostess and committed founder-patron of the Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre and Foundation.
This is my second visit to this Institute in as many months and I am so impressed by their work !

More networking and continued debates and discussions and another survivor turned advocate Devieka Bhojwani in a stunning black Kantha walks up to me and says Hi Viji come on let’s have a #100sareepact moment here !
Devieka has set up a wonderful initiative with Tata Hospital after her brush with breast cancer and is a role model and figure of inspiration for so many newly diagnosed women .

Chaitraprabha it was awesome when your friend Gita Bhat came up to me after recognising me from the pact !!!

Not a bad day for a repeat saree right ?