Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, a breast cancer survivor, has always been forthright about the difficulties she faced on the road to recovery, which, according to her, has encouraged hundreds of women to remain positive and courageous in their battle with the disease.

She remembers reaching out to strangers on social media during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and motivating them to persevere in their battle against the disease.

"Cancer patients approached me through my friends, even though I had absolutely no connection to them. I received a lot of messages on social media, and I have already spoken to a few of them," Hindustan Times reported quoting her.

"I have called random people to talk about my journey and to hear about theirs," she added.

"A man once discovered my phone number and asked if I could call his wife, who was battling breast cancer. I video-called her when he informed me that she was about to leave for treatment. I can't even begin to describe how happy she was," Hindustan Times further reported quoting Khurrana.

Few people are aware that the actor Sonali Bendre inspired the author-turned-director to persevere through those trying times.

"Before my health issue manifested, I still clearly recall opening the newspaper and spotting a photo of Sonali Bendre at the airport. She had kohl-lined eyes and that bald appearance (during the time she was battling cancer). Then I exclaimed, Oh my God. What a lady. That picture simply stuck in my head. I found myself in the same predicament a few months later. I must have subconsciously been influenced by those images of her," claims Khurrana.

"Half the battle is won when we begin perceiving ourselves as strong individuals capable of overcoming everything," she tells the women fighting for another chance at life.

"We must stop viewing ourselves as victims and instead concentrate on improving and developing in life," she said.

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