Chhavi Mittal hits back at trolls who called her out for posting on National Cancer Survivor Day and ‘doing too much’

A cancer survivor, actor Chhavi Mittal has always been vocal about her journey of battling the deadly disease. Recently, on National Cancer Survivor Day (June 4), the actor posted a workout video on Instagram and how she has “garnered stretch to fight the dreaded disease”. However, a few trolls got to her for being “too much” when it comes to talking about cancer awareness and her own journey.

“I don’t understand how much is too much, or less, or enough. And hence, I don’t know how to react to these people who have a problem with my talking about cancer,” says Mittal, who was diagnosed with caner in April last year.

The mother of two, goes on to say, “When I spoke about cancer, everybody felt it’s great to spread awareness. But now — just because I have recovered fast — many feel that I don’t understand the seriousness of this disease. It is really unfair. I am the one who went through it and had the strength to fight it.”

The 42-year-old recounts how she never felt sad during the phase when she was getting her treatment done and made the journey of recovery a part of her everyday life. That, she feels, many people calling her out, are not able to relate with.

“You don’t know what a cancer survivor has gone through. Having cancer doesn’t mean that your life has ended. So, I am still not shy to talk about it on social media as it is a part of my life,” asserts Mittal, adding that battling cancer is not something one forgets about.

“People don’t have a problem if a mum talks about motherhood or when fitness enthusiasts talk about their fitness journey. But if a cancer survivor is talking about cancer on National Cancer Survivor Day, which is celebrated throughout the country, then someone will get up and say ‘Oh, it’s getting too much’. It’s so superfluous,” she rues.

While Mittal usually tries to ignore such trolls, she adds that some comments “deserve a reply” in front of everybody and that it’s important to identify a troll.

She reasons, “People troll when they are resentful, very unhappy in their own life and want to create a stir in someone else’s life. Identify the troll by seeing that this person doesn’t have a name, profile picture, or any post. Most of the people have these things in common. These people are living in a shell and don’t have a voice in real life. They should be brought out, so that they don’t do that to others.”

That being said, Mittal is aware that when she puts out something on social media, or when she hits back at trolls, it will get mixed reaction on social media. “I share such comments once in a while to give my opinion about these trolls because it is also important to voice that opinion. Nobody has the right to tell anybody that this is getting too much,” she concludes.